Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- The University of New England struck for five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning in game two to turn around a one-run deficit en route to a 7-4 victory and a sweep of Western New England College in The Commonwealth Coast Conference softball action Thursday afternoon at Claude Dubois Field.

The Nor'easters (15-5) have now won 13 consecutive games, and improve to 8-0 in league contests. WNEC drops to 5-11 overall, 1-3 in TCCC outings.

Western New England trailed, 1-0, after an RBI-single from UNE sophomore Megan Gauger (South Paris, Maine) the first inning of the nightcap, but threatened to break things open in the top of the third with the bases loaded and no outs. Big Blue managed to retire two of the next three batters and got a force play at home to preserve the lead.

The Golden Bears did move in front in the fifth, started by a two-out home run to left-center by junior Rachel Wyrwa (Methuen, Mass.). Classmate Sarah Lempicki (Southington, Conn.) followed with a double over the center fielder, and scored on the next play -- a triple to the gap in right-center by senior Elyse Gauvin (Swansea, Mass.).

UNE responded with five in the bottom of the frame to regain the advantage. After one run was walked in to tie things up at 2-2, junior Maegen Johnson (Standish, Maine) singled up the middle to put the Nor'easters in front for good. Classmate Ashley Gott (Winterport, Maine) plated a pair on the next play with a double to left-center, and another RBI-single from Gauger made it 6-2.

Big Blue senior pitcher Amber Zablowsky (Rochester, Mass.) worked a quick top of the sixth, and then gave herself an insurance run with a pinch-hit RBI-double to left field in the last half of the inning.

WNEC attempted to rally in its last at-bat, getting an RBI-triple from first-year Maria Francese (Dalton, Mass.) and another run batted in from Wyrwa, but could not get any closer.

Golden Bears sophomore Rachelle Fecteau (East Lyme, Conn.) took the loss in game two, after surrendering just one hit over the initial four innings.

In the opener, UNE jumped in front in the second inning courtesy of back-to-back RBI-doubles from juniors Marie Mantelli (Thompson, Conn.) and Erin Lyons (Salem, N.H.).

The lead did not last long, as Wyrwa launched her first home run of the day over the center-field fence to score senior Trish Breault (Milville, Mass.) and level the contest at 2-all.

A two-out wild pitch with the bases loaded in the bottom of the fourth put the Nor'easters back on top, and that was all the support Lyons would need to improve to 5-2 on the year. Lyons and the UNE defense kept their opponents hitless and allowed only one baserunner the rest of the way.

Mantelli and sophomore Casey Brigham (New London, Conn.) each tallied two hits in the game for Big Blue, which is scheduled to visit defending conference champion Endicott College on Saturday (12 p.m.).

Breault recorded four hits on the day for the WNEC offense, while sophomore Jeana Longo (Schenectady, N.Y.) hit safely on three occasions. Lempicki was charged with the game-one setback for the Golden Bears, who are slated to go to New England College on Saturday (12 p.m.).


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