Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
Photos

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Amanda Vallante had five hits on the day while Abby Lambert and Katelyn Austin conceded just seven combined hits from the circle as the University of New England turned back Nichols College (5-0, 5-2) in a Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) softball doubleheader Saturday afternoon (Apr. 16) at Claude Dubois Field.

Winners of four straight, the Nor'easters (19-7) up their league ledger to 10-4. The Bison (10-12), who have dropped the last seven meetings with UNE, fall back to 4-6 in CCC games.

On Sunday, Big Blue will take a break from conference matches and head to the University of Southern Maine to begin at 12 p.m.

Vallante received a strong effort of support from the spot just in front of her in the batting lineup, as Caroline Schoenbucher added four hits to the offense that totaled 21 base-knocks. Vallante now has 173 career hits, good for the second-most in over 22 years of the program. 

For Nichols, Christina Drake recorded five of her side's eight hits on the afternoon.

Kelly Murphy gave Lambert an early 2-0 lead in GAME 1, putting a one-out single up the middle to score Schoenbucher and Vallante in the 1st inning. The gap became 3-0 in the 2nd, courtesy of a two-out RBI-triple to left by Avery Alberghini.

UNE scored two more with a couple out in the 4th, when consecutive RBI-singles by Schoenbucher and Vallante found their way into center field.

That was more than enough for Lambert (5-2), who fanned six against three hits and no walks in six innings of work. Sydnee Bessler finished things off with a pair of strikeouts in the 7th.

Haley Fountain took the setback for the Bison, while registering four strikeouts.

The Nor'easters went ahead 2-0 in the 2nd inning of GAME 2 and never relinquished the advantage. With two away, Anna Sessa was hit by a pitch and Paige Moore-Haskell doubled a rocket off the glove of the third baseman. Sydney Helmbrecht then cashed in on the runners in scoring position, guiding a single into center.

In the UNE 3rd, Alberghini notched her second hit of the contest to start the frame and Vallante singled her home soon after to make it 3-0.

Nichols got one back in the top of the 4th on a two-out single to right by Zoe Chevrette, scoring Drake from second.

Another double by Moore-Haskell in the 4th set the spread back at three (4-1), moments before Helmbrecht drove in her third run of the match with a sacrifice fly. Scoring on the play, for a second time, was Sessa.

Drake tallied her third single of the outing in the 6th, driving in one for the Bison to establish the final difference (5-2).

Like Lambert, Austin dealt six innings and posted six strikeouts, while allowing just one earned run on four hits and no walks. Melissa Sprague capped the result with her third save of the season.

Helmbrecht, Schoenbucher, and Vallante joined two others in sharing the team-high of two hits in the nightcap for UNE.

After Drake's three hits for Nichols, Chevrette accounted for the team's two remaining hits. Meghan Sears was charged with the loss in four innings.