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BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Abby Miner racked up five hits and five runs batted in, including a walk-off single in the extra-inning opener, as the University of New England tallied a 7-6 and 9-3 Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) doubleheader sweep of Wentworth Institute of Technology at Nor'easter Diamond on Saturday afternoon (Apr. 30).

The two wins vault the Nor'easters (17-19, 10-6 CCC) ahead of the Leopards (21-13, 9-7) in the league standings, entering what should be the conclusion of the regular season slate on Sunday. UNE currently shares the third spot, two games back of tomorrow's foe, second-place Western New England University (12-4 CCC). The top two seeds will host portions of upcoming double-elimination conference tournament.

Following Miner, who had three doubles, Grace Tutt and Taylor Depot combined for seven hits and four RBI, while Alie Martell and Makenzy Herron each touched home plate four times. Jordan Strum and Martell worked complete games in the circle for the pitching victories.

After holding Wentworth scoreless with the bases loaded in the top of the 1st inning in GAME 1 (UNE 7-6), the Nor'easters put one across in the bottom of the frame and never trailed the rest of the day. An RBI-single from Miner made the first mark on the scoreboard, and then Herron and Tutt supplied two runs in the 3rd. WIT couldn't get anything from a runner on third with one away in the 4th, and the hosts proceeded to up the lead to 4-0 moments later as the speed of Audrey Gavin on the base paths netted one more.

The Leopards bounced right back in the 5th, though, evening things up with four runs on six one-out hits. A double from Kaitlin Pettenger, single by Katelin Howe, and double by Briana Beverly set the stage for Aurora Wilks, who curled a low line-drive around the left field foul pole for a three-run homer. The next two reached with singles, but a lineout to right turned into a double play at second base and kept the score level.

An RBI-single from Depot made it 6-4 in favor of UNE, but a two-run single from Wilks with two away in the 6th tied it back up.

Strum retired the last six she faced to get through the 7th and 8th, before Miner pulled the first pitch of the Nor'easter 8th into left field, sending home Herron with the deciding run from her place on second. Strum tallied six strikeouts while improving to 12-6 on the season.

On the other side, reliever Kayla DeMedeiros was charged with the setback, after starter Erin Hancock allowed three earned runs over five innings. Pettenger and Sabrina Haarstick led five Leopards with multiple hits in the contest, at three apiece. WIT's 13 hits were six more than the Nor'easters, but the visitors also stranded eight more than their counterparts (10-2).

Martell had to work hard right out of the gate in GAME 2 (UNE 9-3), and emerged unscathed from a bases loaded, one out situation with back-to-back strikeouts. The offense then provided some immediate support, as run-scoring hits from Miner, Kate Wilmot, and Depot put UNE out to a 3-0 cushion. It could've been even greater, too, but the Nor'easters stranded three.

DeMedeiros recorded the first of her two hits to begin the Wentworth 2nd, and the second hits from Pettenger (triple) and Howe (single) with two out sliced the deficit to 3-2. A pair of walks filled the bags again for WIT, but that's where the stanza concluded.

UNE broke things even more open in the its half of the 2nd, plating four. Following hits and steals by Martell and Herron, Miner hopped a double over the fence in left. Tutt sliced the ensuing pitch down the right field line, and, after the end of the outing for DeMedeiros in the WIT circle, Wilmot singled home another run to make it 7-2.

Wilks got one back with a single in the 4th (7-3), giving her six RBI on the afternoon.

The Nor'easters extended to the final difference in the 5th. With two on and two away, Tutt laced an infield single off the pitcher's glove, and the redirection was just enough of a window for Martell to continue home. Then Gavin bounced one over the initial row of fielders and safely reached first. Her speed compounded things once again for the Leopards, as the throw over went wide and provided Herron with plenty of time to motor around.

Martell seemed to gain momentum as the match unfolded, and fanned the side in the 7th to close it out. Against two earned runs, she dialed up a career-high eight strikeouts to help her third win.

Tutt topped the UNE lineup with three hits, matching Miner's performance from the opener. Tutt now has at least one hit in 11 straight games, and has reached safely in 16 consecutive. Miner now owns the second-best single-season RBI mark in program records with 40.

Jess Rowe struck out five over the final five innings in relief for Wentworth.