Game 1 Statistics
Game 2 Statistics

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- The University of New England took an early lead in game two on the way to an 8-5 victory over Western New England University in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) softball action Saturday afternoon (Apr. 27) at Golden Bear Park. WNEU picked up an 8-0 result (5 innings) in the opener of the doubleheader.

Hannah Irons topped all players on the day with four hits for the Nor'easters (10-24, 5-9 CCC).

The Golden Bears (20-10, 8-4) received three hits and four RBI out of Kim Baumann. Madison Mason, Alex Ferriouolo, and Marley Rodriguez also had three hits apiece during the twinbill.

Irons started GAME 2 (UNE 8-5) with a double, moved to third base on a hit by Emma Michaud, and scored with a sacrifice fly from Olivia Howe. In the 3rd inning, Michaud and Howe notched one-out singles before Grace Tutt singled to make it 2-0. Delaney Whitten stepped in next and cleared the bases, cracking her second home run of the year over the fence in left field to bump the cushion to 5-0. Whitten has both of UNE's dingers on the season.

Through four frames in the circle, Kara MacDonald allowed just one hit and one walk, and the Nor'easters added one in the 5th when a two-out double by Elise Connor was followed by a pinch-hit single from Abby Walsh.

Hits by Evelyn Picone and Baumann got one back for Western New England in the 5th, and then Kailey Carrano led off the 6th with a solo homer to make it 6-2. Three batters later, the second hit by Rodriquez trimmed the gap to 6-4 -- a two-run double that scored Mason and Ferriouolo. After UNE switched over to Mo Kinsella, the second single of the match from Angie Carrasquillo sliced the margin to only one heading into the final stanza.

However, the Nor'easters turned around and padded the lead with RBI-singles from Hannah Lappin and Irons to stay in control. Kinsella then faced four batters to register the save behind MacDonald's win.

Irons and Connor paced UNE with three hits, while Michaud and Howe posted two, as the Nor'easters matched a season-high of 15 hits.

Irons also began GAME 1 (WNEU 8-0) with a hit, but those were few a far between off of Golden Bears' pitcher Ava Blanchard, who yielded three in the five-inning complete-game. Blanchard walked one and struck out six.

The Western New England lineup provided immediate support in the bottom of the 1st with four runs. Four consecutive free passes with one out got the ball rolling, before a Lizzie Weston RBI-single and a two-run single by Baumann capped the inning. Gracie Hemstock added a solo shot in the 2nd and Mason did the same to lead off the 5th, and then doubles by Ferriouolo and Rodriguez, with a single from Baumann, got the hosts to the deciding spread.

UNE's other two hits came from the bat of Becca Dumont. Kinsella took the setback in the circle.