Box Score

BEVERLY, Mass. -- Winning pitcher Leah Torre hit a three-run homer in the third inning to help second-seeded Western New England University to a 9-1 six-inning win over No. 4 University of New England in an elimination game of the Commonwealth Coast Conference Championship hosted at Endicott College Thursday (May 2) afternoon.

The Golden Bears (25-17) advance to face No. 6 Curry College (an 8-2 winner over Salve Regina University) this afternoon at Gordon College. UNE (22-17-1) remains eligible for a bid to the ECAC New England Championship, which commences next week.

Katie Eckert went 4-for-4 at the dish to pace the Golden Bears' 10-hit attack. She also scored twice and drove in a pair of runs. Alexis Bukowski had two singles.

Western New England took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second when Bukowski plated Eckert with a two-out single up the middle.

The Golden Bears would break open the game in the next frame, scoring five runs on just two hits. The key blow in the inning was Torre's three-run home run to center field. WNE took advantage of a pair of walks and two UNE errors to aid in the uprising.

Western New England pushed its lead to 8-0 with two runs in the bottom of the fourth when Eckert drove home Grace Kucharski and Samantha Mulhern.

The Nor'easters extended the contest with a single run in the fifth. After Casey Brigham reached on an error to start things, Allie Frazier singled to right-center to put runners at first and second. Amanda Vaudreuil then followed with a grounder to the left side. The ball was misplayed, allowing Brigham to come around and score. WNE got a 1-2-3 double play and a flyout to end the threat.

The game came to a halt due to the eight-run rule when Western New England pushed across a run in the bottom of the sixth. Emily Mastropaolo drew a bases-loaded walk to make WNE a winner.

Torre evened her record at 6-6, allowing three hits and three base on balls while striking out three.

Abby Lambert (9-6) was the pitcher of record for UNE. She was relieved by Lauren Doneski in the third before Chelsea Damon came on to pitch the sixth.