Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
Photo Gallery

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- The University of New England pounded out 28 hits on the way to wins of 13-4 (6 innings) and 8-0 (5 innings) against Nichols College on Friday afternoon (Apr. 3) in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) softball action at Claude Dubois Field.

The Nor'easters (11-8) improve to 5-1 in CCC contests with the victories, while the Bison (4-8) begin the league slate at 0-2.

Big Blue's offensive efforts were led by Adrienne Chase, Kelly Murphy, and Amanda Vallante who each had four hits on the day, while Chase added seven RBI and Vallante scored five times. Murphy also drove in three runs and touched home plate on three occasions, while posting her team-leading eighth and ninth multiple-hit performance.

Sydney Helmbrecht recorded hits in both games to extend her hitting streak to 14 outings, and accounted for four runs. Cat Ouellette totaled three hits in five at-bats over the course of the twinbill.

Abby Lambert and Katelyn Austin worked in the UNE circle to get the positive decisions.

The Nor'easters -- who played as the visiting team as the games were originally scheduled to take place at Nichols -- wasted little time getting on the board first in GAME ONE, when Chase singled down the line in left to score both Helmbrecht and Vallante.

Big Blue added three more with two down in the 3rd, which included RBI-singles by Murphy and Meghan Bolano.

The Bison responded with three runs in the bottom of the stanza, all with two outs, as Kendall Meehan, Christina Drake, and Haley Fountain all had run-producing hits. NC threatened to get closer when a walk loaded the bases, but the inning ended on the next play with a groundout.

UNE had increased the cushion to 7-3 entering the 6th frame, and plated six runs to take full control of the match. The Nor'easters had six hits and took advantage of a couple errors and a wild pitch to keep the inning going.

Nichols got one back in the last half of the 6th off of relief pitcher Sara Pelkey, but could not extend the game any further.

Bolano and Paige Moore-Haskell each tallied three hits in the game for UNE, while Lambert struck out five over five innings to level her record at 4-4.

Meehan finished with three hits and Courtney Manarky notched a pair for the Bison. Fountain took the pitching setback, surrendering seven earned runs.

The Nor'easters carried the momentum from the opener into GAME TWO, plating three runs in the top of the 1st on a double by Vallante, a single from Chase, and a single by Austin.

Chase and Murphy converted with two out and runners in scoring position again in the 2nd, and UNE failed to tack on more as the bases were left full.

It was 6-0 before Chase clubbed a double into the gap in left-center during the top of the 5th, scoring Karyn Svarczkopf and Pelkey, who started the inning was singles to left field.

Austin, meanwhile, wrapped up her fourth win in as many outings since returning from Florida, and the shutout was her second in that stretch. She struck out three and allowed just three hits along with a pair of walks over the five innings.

Meehan, who took the loss in the circle for Nichols, logged two of the offensive hits for the Bison. NC will get back to work at Western New England University (0-0 CCC) on Monday (3 p.m.).

UNE is off until Tuesday (3 p.m.), when Salve Regina University (5-1 CCC) comes into Biddeford.


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Watch the post-game interview with Adrienne Chase, Kelly Murphy, and Amanda Vallante