Game 1 Statistics
Game 2 Statistics
Photos (including Senior Day Ceremony)

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Sydnee Bessler hurled a no-hitter as the University of New England defeated Gordon College, 3-0, in the opener of a Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) softball twinbill on Saturday afternoon (Apr. 21) at the UNE Softball Field. After leading for most of the second matchup, the Fighting Scots needed a three-run homer from Kristen Brown in the 7th to edge the Nor'easters, 6-5, for a share.

UNE (17-15) remains in the mix for a spot directly into the double elimination phase of the upcoming conference tournament, now with a 10-6 league ledger. Gordon (10-21) is done with CCC dates, at 6-12, and will require some assistance to get into a first-round contest.

Bessler was working on perfection in GAME 1 (UNE 3-0), retiring the first 19 batters she faced. Gordon's Karissa Hatchell broke up the bid with one gone in the 7th, fouling off three pitches with two strikes before drawing a walk. Bessler grazed the next hitter (1-2 count), but got an infield popout and then strikeout number 10 to seal her 17th victory of the year.

It was the fifth no-hitter on-record in UNE program history (24+ seasons) -- the first since 2007, and the first during a game longer than five innings.

Bessler received all of the run support in the bottom of the 1st frame, as her lineup kicked things off with four straight singles. Andrea Gosper scored on the contact by Sarah Lachapelle, and Caroline Schoenbucher came around with the knock by Sam Dreissig to make it 2-0. After an out, Meg Harvey lofted a sacrifice fly that brought in Lachapelle.

Schoenbucher topped the Big Blue offense with two hits.

Caitlin Catalanotto struck out four against no walks and six hits in a losing effort for the Fighting Scots.

Two of the first three Gordon batters hit safely to begin GAME 2 (GC 6-5) against Bessler, and an unearned run put the visitors up, 1-0.

Lily Rivera made it 2-0 in the 2nd with a home run just inside the left-field foul pole, only to see the Nor'easters split the margin (2-1) on a two-out RBI-single by Anna Sessa that plated Dreissig. The Fighting Scots plated another unearned run in the 3rd, and although UNE left the bags filled in the bottom of the inning, it answered in the 4th with an RBI-single from Ali Kuechler that converted a double by Sessa into a run.

A trio of one-out singles loaded them up for Gordon in the 5th, but Bessler fanned the next two to get out of the stanza. The Nor'easters then jumped in front during the 6th (4-3), courtesy of a two-RBI double by Gosper with two away that sent in Hannah Baldyga and Lachapelle.

Brown capped her 4-for-4 showing with a deep blast to left that shifted the advantage right back in favor of the Fighting Scots (6-4).

UNE supplied some two-out chaos in its last chance, getting one back, but stranded two in scoring position as Jasmine Mullally secured the complete-game win for the visiting squad. Mullally struck out four.

Hatchell and Arianna Ramsaran each had two hits in support for Gordon, and Catalanotto drove in a pair.

Bessler wrapped up with eight strikeouts for the Nor'easters. Caty Flagg joined Sessa with a team-best two hits.

Next up: UNE is slated to entertain Endicott College on Monday (3 p.m.) to complete the league schedule.