Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

MILTON, Mass. -- Rookie Sydney Helmbrecht delivered a seventh-inning single to drive home Jess Lemos, giving the University of New England a 3-2 win to split a Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) doubleheader with Curry College on Saturday (April 12) afternoon at D. Forbes Will Field.

Backed by the two-hit pitching of Taylor Ahearn, the Colonels took the opening game by a score of 1-0.

The split gives the Nor'easters (20-10, 10-4 CCC) their eighth consecutive 20-win season -- the last five coming under the watch of head coach Dan Letellier. Curry now stands at 17-11 overall, 7-3 in conference play.

With the score tied at 2-all in the final frame of game two, pinch-hitter Meghan Bolano led off with a single. Jess Lemos, who re-entered the game to run for Bolano, then moved to third when Allie Frazier's sacrifice bunt was misplayed. Helmbrecht followed with a base-hit to center field to give the Nor'easters a 3-2 advantage.

Lauren Doneski would retire the Colonels in the home half of the seventh to close out the victory.

Trailing 1-0 after three innings, the Nor'easters got on the scoreboard for the first time of the afternoon with two runs in the top of the fourth. UNE loaded the bases with no outs to set the stage for a RBI single by Adrienne Chase and a run-scoring infield groundout from Jessica Potter.

Doneski (8-3) continued her solid work in the circle, working her way around eight hits. She walked one and struck out seven. Doneski was nicked for a single run in the third and a solo homer by Marissa Bruno in the fourth.

UNE made the most of its five hits while taking advantage of two Curry errors.

Ahearn was the story in game one. The rookie slinger allowed just two hits and two walks while striking out a pair. She allowed no hits after the fourth inning in raising her record to 12-2. Ahearn also pitched the nightcap and was a tough-luck loser in that one.

The only run of the contest came in the bottom of the sixth. Ariel LaRosa led off with a single and would later move up to third on a one-out double by Kaitlyn Madeiros. Allie Carver then lofted a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring LaRosa. 

Abby Lambert pitched well for Big Blue but was saddled with loss to drop her record to 7-5. She allowed four hits and two base on balls while whiffing two.

Lambert and Amanda Vallante had UNE's two hits.

UNE has little time to rest before hosting rival Endicott College for a CCC doubleheader tomorrow. First pitch at Claude Dubois Field is slated for noon.