Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- The University of New England softball team won two tightly-contested Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) games Wednesday afternoon (Apr. 18) at Claude Dubois Field, defeating Western New England University by scores of 2-1 and 8-7.

Big Blue ups its record to 18-10 on the year, 10-4 in league contests. The Golden Bears drop to 12-16 overall, 6-6 in CCC outings.

UNE scored first in game one, courtesy of a 2nd-inning solo home run over the fence in left-center by sophomore Amanda Vaudreuil (Windham, N.H.).

Western New England pulled even with one in the top of the 5th on an RBI-single by first-year Hannah Hill (Malden, Mass.), but the Nor'easters took advantage of two errors in the last half of the inning to plate sophomore Allie Frazier (Tewksbury, Mass.) with the go-ahead run.

First-year pitcher Kelly Reid (Nantucket, Mass.) retired all six of the batters she faced in the WNE 6th and 7th to hold the slim cushion and improve to 8-3 on the season. For the contest, Reid allowed five hits and two walks while striking out five.

Golden Bears senior Sarah Lempicki (Southington, Conn.) tossed a three-hitter in the setback, and recorded four punch-outs. First-year Jocelyn Agnelli (Winchendon, Mass.) had two hits for the visitors.

The offenses warmed up to start game two, as things were tied at 4-all after two full innings. UNE put two across in the bottom of the 1st -- the first off the bat of Vaudreuil, who singled through the side to score junior Erin Grover (Biddeford, Maine) from second base. Classmate Megan Gauger (South Paris, Maine) also scored from first on the play, which was extended by an outfield error.

A single sandwiched between two walks loaded the bases with one out in the WNE 2nd, setting the stage for a game-tying double to right-center by sophomore Maria Francese (Hinsdale, Mass.). Following the second out of the inning, singles by Hill and Lempicki plated a run each to make it 4-2 in favor of the Golden Bears.

UNE wasted little time evening things up in the bottom of the 2nd, when a one-out double up the middle by senior Ashley Gott (Winterport, Maine) scored junior Casey Brigham (New London, Conn.) and Frazier.

The Nor'easters added one in the 4th to move in front, 5-4, as Frazier -- who reached with a lead-off single -- scored on a two-out throwing error that came after an infield hit by Grover.

Western New England responded in the top of the 5th, loading the bases after an opening out and before the second out. Francese came through in the clutch once again, this time with a bloop single to center that allowed a pair to cross home plate. Agnelli followed with an RBI-single to put the visitors on top, 7-5.

Big Blue came right back with three in the bottom of the frame to regain the lead (8-7). With one on and two out, sophomore Lauren Rousseau (Biddeford, Maine) came in for a pinch-hit single that moved two into scoring position. Frazier continued her strong performance with a single to right-center that leveled the score at 7-7. Seeing Frazier steal second for the second time on the afternoon, Gott laced a triple right-center to put UNE ahead for good.

After coming on in relief during the WNE 5th, Reid shut down the Golden Bears the rest of the way -- again retiring the last six batters she faced. Reid notched four strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings to get her ninth win.

Frazier finished the game going 3-for-3 with three runs scored and two RBI. Gott, who tallied three RBI, was joining by Grover and Gauger with two hits each.

For Western New England, first-year Grace Kucharski (Avon, Conn.) recorded three hits in four at-bats, and both Hill and Lempicki had two hits apiece. Francese totaled four RBI with her two hits, and senior Rachel Wyrwa (Methuen, Mass.) scored a pair of runs. Rookie Carolyn Hajdusek (Northfield, N.H.) was charged with the loss, working 3 2/3 innings in the middle of the contest.

UNE heads to Wentworth Institute of Technology on Saturday for a CCC twinbill beginning at 12 p.m. The Golden Bears return to action Thursday (3:30 p.m.) at home for a non-conference doubleheader with Trinity College (Conn.).


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