Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

MILTON, Mass. -- The University of New England scored seven times in the top of the 7th inning of game two, including a go-ahead three-run homer by first-year Gabrielle LaRoche (Deerfield, N.H.), to come back and complete a sweep of Curry College in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) softball action Friday afternoon (Apr. 6) at D. Forbes Will Field. Big Blue won the second game, 8-3, after taking the opener by a 5-1 score.

The Nor'easters (12-6) improve to 6-2 in league contests, while the Colonels (16-10) drop to 5-5 in conference play.

Trailing 3-1 entering its last at-bat of game two, UNE already had one run back (3-2) with runners at the corners and one out, when junior Erin Grover (Biddeford, Maine) brought Big Blue even with a single up the middle. LaRoche followed with her first home run of the season to straight-away center field to give the Nor'easters a 6-3 advantage.

The visitors were not done in the frame, as sophomores Jessica Potter (Crown Point, N.Y.) and Amanda Vaudreuil (Windham, N.H.) each drove in runs to extend the gap to five (8-3).

Curry got the lead-off batter on base in the bottom of the 7th, but a line shot to UNE senior Maegen Johnson (Standish, Maine) in center field turned into a double play at first base and classmate Julie Bigelow (Montpelier, Vt.) induced a final ground out to secure the win.

LaRoche went 3-for-4 in the game, while Grover and Vaudreuil both recorded two hits in three at-bats. Bigelow surrendered five hits in five innings of work to improve to 4-2 on the year.

Chelsey Munsey took the loss for the Colonels, despite only giving up one earned run, as the hosts committed four timely errors. Munsey went 3-for-4 at the plate to lead the offense, which tallied a run in the 1st and two more in the 3rd to build a 3-0 cushion. Caitlin Luquet and Valerie LaSala had an additional two hits apiece for Curry.

UNE started fast in game one, putting two runs on the board in the top of the 1st inning before leaving the bases loaded. LaRoche and Potter each recorded RBI-singles in the stanza, scoring both Grover and Vaudreuil.

An Ariel LaRosa homer to center to begin the Curry 2nd was one of few bumps in the road for Big Blue first-year pitcher Kelly Reid (Nantucket, Mass.), who limited the Colonels to five hits and no walks while striking out seven to post her sixth victory of the season (6-1).

Curry's Taylor Ahearn worked along nicely as well, fanning five in the outing. With the difference still 2-1 UNE heading into the 7th, however, the Nor'easters got to Ahearn once again for some insurance runs.

Two Big Blue outs sandwiched a LaRoche single, prior to singles by sophomore Ali Stanley (Rochester, N.H.) and Johnson that filled the bases. Sophomore Lauren Rousseau (Biddeford, Maine) cleared them all with a double to left field, making the margin four (5-1).

Of UNE's 12 hits in the game, Stanley finished with three of them. First-year Adrienne Chase (Holden, Mass.) added two, as did LaRoche, who would end the day with five hits in all.

The Nor'easters are back at home Tuesday for a non-conference doubleheader with the University of Southern Maine (3 p.m.). The Colonels host Suffolk University the same day.