Game 1 Statistics
Game 2 Statistics
Photos (more coming)

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- The University of New England and Bates College each took a piece of Thursday's (Mar. 28) softball doubleheader at Nor'easter Diamond, with the Bobcats getting a late grand slam to take a 4-3 result in the opener before UNE secured a 3-2 victory in the nightcap.

The Nor'easters move to 6-7 on the year, while Bates now sits at 4-10.

UNE grabbed an early 2-0 lead in GAME 2 (UNE 3-2) with a pair of runs in the bottom of the 1st inning. Caroline Schoenbucher and Avery Alberghini accounted for half of the singles in the frame to start things off, and then Sarah Lachapelle and Melissa Jakubowski notched consecutive RBI-singles.

Alberghini now has a hit in all 11 of her games so far this season.

Taylor Depot put the ball in play for a bases-loaded fielder's choice to add a run for the hosts in the 2nd. After a single to get on base, Alexis Kapsambelis scored what proved to be the deciding tally.

The Bobcats got one back in the top of the 3rd on a two-out RBI-single to left by Janell Sato. The visitors attempted to score a runner from second base on the play, but Kapsambelis (LF) threw to Alberghini for the tag at the plate.

Julia Panepinto started the 4th with her second home run of the day -- again over the fence in left -- to pull Bates to within one (3-2).

The Bobcats put two aboard with one out in the 7th, but Jordan Strum induced a couple groundouts to record the save. Melissa Sprague got the pitching win with four strikeouts over four innings.

Payton Buxton absorbed the loss in the circle. Kennedy Ishii posted a game-high two hits for Bates.

The Nor'easters had a similar three-run cushion in GAME 1 (Bates 4-3), until one swing by Panepinto gave the Bobcats their only lead of the afternoon with no outs in the 6th inning. Caroline Bass got her team-high second hit to started the stanza.

Depot supplied all three scores for UNE, beginning with a 1st-inning single that drove in Alberghini. Then with two gone in the last half of the 5th, she launched the first-ever home run at Nor'easter Diamond deep over the wall in left-center [Watch].

After the run support from Panepinto, Kirsten Pelletier retired the last seven batters she faced to earn the win for Bates, and finished with seven strikeouts.

Sydnee Bessler suffered the setback for the hosts while also fanning seven batters.

Next up: UNE plays game four of six on Nor'easter Diamond this week when Saint Joseph's College of Maine comes back to Biddeford on Friday (3 p.m.).