Box Score

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- With one out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning, first-year Casey Brigham (New London, Conn.) singled home a pair to give the University of New England a 7-6 win over Western New England College in Game 6 of The Commonwealth Coast Conference Softball Championship Thursday afternoon at Claude Dubois Field.

The No. 2 Nor'easters advance to play top-seeded Endicott College Friday (Game 9, approximately 4:30 p.m.), with the winner booking a spot in the final. With their first loss of the tournament, the Golden Bears move into the bottom half of the bracket and will face Salve Regina University in the first game (Game 7, 2:30 p.m.) from Beverly, Mass.

Senior Jenn Waldecker (Hooksett, N.H.) led off UNE's last at-bat with a single to left, and pinch runner Liz Kelly (Hollis, N.H.) moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Marie Mantelli (Thompson, Conn.). First-year Erin Grover (Biddeford, Maine) pushed Kelly to third with a single to left, and got herself to second moments later with a stolen base. Following a walk, Brigham laced her third hit of the day to right field, scoring Kelly and Grover to put the hosts over the top.

WNEC trailed 5-1 entering the top half of the seventh, but, after two quick errors and a walk, had the bases full. Sophomore Sarah Lempicki (Plantsville, Conn.) cut the deficit to two (5-3) with a single pulled down the left field line, and was followed by classmate Rachel Wyrwa's (Methuen, Mass.) RBI double to the fence in right. Senior Kate Post (Bridgewater, Mass.) lofted a single just inside the right field line, plating Lempicki and Wyrwa, and putting the Golden Bears in front, 6-5.

UNE recorded all three outs after sophomore pitcher Erin Lyons (Salem, N.H.) came into the game, keeping the margin at one.

Tied at 1-all through three innings, the Nor'easters scored four times in the fourth to take the lead. Brigham ripped a double to right-center to put runners on second and third with one out, and senior Julie Monteiro (Portsmouth, R.I.) singled to right to score pinch runner Beth Smith (Delanson, N.Y.). Sophomore Maegen Johnson (Standish, Maine) slapped a single through the left side to load the bases, before a hit batter forced in UNE's third run. After the second out of the inning, Waldecker roped a base hit to right that sent home Monteiro and Johnson to make it 5-1.

Lyons got the win for the Nor'easters (25-12), following up junior Amber Zablowsky (Rochester, Mass.) who, after giving up a run in the first, scattered just three hits over the middle five innings. Sophomore Ashley Gott (Winterport, Maine) chipped in with two hits for the offense that posted 13 in all.

WNEC (23-18-1) was led by senior Lauren Aresenault (Fitchburg, Mass.), who went 3-for-3 on the day with a pair of runs scored.

Tournament action continues Friday on the campuses of Endicott and Gordon College, while the final few games will be played Saturday at Endicott. To view the championship bracket, click here.