Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

DUDLEY, Mass. -- Nichols College needed extra innings to top the University of New England, 9-8, in game one of Saturday's The Commonwealth Coast Conference doubleheader, then completed the sweep with a 3-1 victory in the second contest of the afternoon.

The Bison, who have taken eight of their last 10 decisions, improve to 17-12 overall and 13-5 in league games. After coming up short in five of their last six, Big Blue now sits at 22-10 (15-5 TCCC).

In the opener, UNE sophomore Erin Grover (Biddeford, Maine) put the visitors in front with an RBI-double during the team's first at-bat. Following a two-run homer from Nichols junior Chelsea Correia (Seekonk, Mass.) in the bottom of the frame, Big Blue junior Marie Mantelli (Thompson, Conn.) tied things at 2-2 with a solo shot in the second.

The Nor'easters regained the lead at 5-2 in the fourth, behind a long-ball from sophomore Megan Gauger (South Paris, Maine) and another homer from Mantelli (2 RBI). UNE received RBI-hits from junior Ashley Gott (Winterport, Maine) and first-year Allison Frazier (Tewksbury, Mass.) in the fifth and sixth, respectively, to assume a 7-2 cushion.

Nichols began the sixth with three singles, and after an error and an out, first-year Emalee Watkins (Malden, Mass.) made it 7-5 with a two-run double. Correia drove in one more with a single, and junior Savannah Thibault (Marlborough, Mass.) completed the inning's scoring with a 2-RBI double.

UNE pulled even (8-8) with one off of senior pitcher Kara Buckley (Nashau, N.H.) in the top of the seventh, and kept the hosts of the board in the bottom of the inning to force extra softball.

A play at the plate kept the Nor'easters from scoring in the eighth, while Big Blue stranded runners at second and third. Correia was credited with the game-winning RBI, in the form of a sacrifice fly to left in the last half of the eighth.

In round two, UNE went ahead in the second as junior Maegen Johnson (Standish, Maine) hit into a fielder's choice, scoring Mantelli. The Nor'easters looked like they would get more, but left the bases loaded in the initial two frames.

The Bison then plated two in the third to gain the advantage. Thibault knocked in first-year Allasyn Lieneck (Oldsmar, Fla.) -- who finished with four hits on the day -- and Correia. Another in the fourth provided the final margin, as junior pitcher Molly Ferraro (Millis, Mass.) kept Big Blue off the board the rest of the way.

UNE sophomore Casey Brigham (New London, Conn.) went 3-for-4 in the second game, and Gott also finished with three hits on the day.

Juniors Erin Lyons (Salem, N.H.) and Julie Bigelow (Montpelier, Vt.) suffered the losses for the Nor'easters, who are set to visit Saint Joseph's College (Maine) on Tuesday. UNE was originally scheduled to face Roger Williams University on Sunday, but that date has been postponed due to the forecast of heavy rains in the area throughout the night.