Box ScoreBEVERLY, Mass. -- Fifth-seeded Western New England University scored three runs in the 3rd and two more in the 4th to turn an early deficit towards a 6-3 victory over No. 4 University of New England, as the double elimination phase of the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Softball Championship began Tuesday afternoon (Apr. 29) at the Endicott College Softball Complex.
The Golden Bears (20-16) advance to meet the top-seeded hosts later in the day. Big Blue (23-16) will return to Beverly, Mass. on Thursday (2:30 p.m.) looking to stay alive in the tournament; the Nor'easters will face Curry College (a 5-2 winner over Roger Williams, before a 10-0 loss to Salve Regina).
WNE combined six hits with four walks and three UNE errors add up its six runs. Emily Mastropaolo had a two-RBI double to left-center with no outs in the top of the 3rd that made it 3-2 at the time. Gabby Lavinio hit a two-run homer with one down in the 4th to increase the cushion to 6-2.
Lavinio finished with three runs scored to help Heidi Grieger improve to 9-6 in the circle. Grieger gave up two earned runs on 11 hits and one free pass.
The Nor'easters received two hits apiece from seniors
Amanda Vaudreuil and
Jessica Potter, sophomore
Abby Lambert, and first-year
Sydney Farley. Consecutive at-bats by Vaudreuil (single), Lambert (double), and Potter (single) with one away and a runner aboard in the bottom of the 1st resulted in two runs and the lead (2-1).
Big Blue stranded two runners in the 2nd and 5th innings before inching one closer to the Golden Bears in the 6th. A one-out bunt towards the left side by Farley drew a late throw at first base, allowing senior
Ali Stanley to get home from third.
WNE managed to hold the margin at three (6-3) while putting away the UNE 6th, and survived the lead-off batter reaching in the home half of the 7th with a line-out into a double play.
Nor'easters first-year
Katelyn Austin surrendered four earned runs to the Golden Bears, while registering the only strikeout of the contest.
(Revised 4/29/14 10:00 PM)Â
