Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- Junior Amber Zablowsky (Rochester, Mass.) earned the pitching wins in each game as the University of New England swept Western New England College 3-1 and 4-2 Sunday afternoon in a match-up of the two top softball teams in The Commonwealth Coast Conference.

With the win, the Nor'easters (21-9, 14-4 TCCC) trade place with WNEC atop the conference standings. This marks the fourth consecutive 20-win season for UNE.

Zablowsky went the distance in the opener, allowing just four hits and a walk.

The Nor'easters got all the offense they would need in the top of the first on an RBI double by sophomore Ashley Gott (Winterport, Maine) and a run-scoring single from classmate Marie Mantelli (Thompson, Conn.).

The Golden Bears countered with an unearned run in the home half of the second, capitalizing on three Nor'easter errors.

Big Blue would add an insurance run in the top of the fifth when senior Lauren Webb (Jericho, Vt.) doubled home sophomore Maegen Johnson (Standish, Maine), who had reached on an error and stole second.

Mantelli finished with two hits for the Nor'easters, who had seven -- including three doubles -- for the contest.

Zablowksy (12-3) came on in relief in the bottom of the first of the nightcap and went on to limit WNEC to six hits and one earned run the rest of the way.

Mantelli blasted a solo home run off the left-field foul pole to lead off the fifth inning, breaking a scoreless tie.

The Nor'easters pushed across three more runs in the seventh to provide some much-needed breathing room for Zablowsky. With two outs and runners on first and second, senior Julie Monteiro (Portsmouth, R.I.) singled home first-year Kelly Grover (Biddeford, Maine). Johnson then singled and Monteiro and senior Angie Damon (Scarborough, Maine) came home on the ensuing throwing error by a WNEC infielder.

UNE would need those insurance runs as the Golden Bears struck for a pair of runs in the home half of the stanza on an RBI single by Kate Post (Bridgewater, Mass.) and an infield out by Laura Madaio (Paxton, Mass.). 

Zablowksy got Trish Breault (Millville, Mass.) to ground out to second to strand the tying runs at the corners.

Johnson had four hits to lead the Nor'easters' 14-hit attack. Damon was 3-for-4, while Grover added a pair of hits.

The Nor'easters will play a make-up doubleheader versus Anna Maria College tomorrow afternoon. First pitch at Claude Dubois Field is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

Western New England (18-15, 13-5) heads to Newport, R.I. tomorrow to play a conference doubleheader with Salve Regina University.