CLERMONT, Fla. -- Ruby Madia and Sara Moore each had two-run hits in the 3rd and 4th innings to respond to University of New England leads, as Babson College picked up a 5-4 softball result on Sunday morning (Mar. 16).

The Beavers improve to 2-1 in the season-opening week at The Spring Games, while the contest was the first of 2025 for the Nor'easters.

UNE took a 2-0 lead in the top of the 3rd on a two-run homer over the left field fence by Hannah Irons. It was the first career home run for the sophomore shortstop, who was second on the team in batting average last year.

After a two-out single by Madia tied things for Babson, the Nor'easters took advantage of a walk, sacrifice, error, and wild pitch to retake the edge. But a hit-by-pitch and walk kicked off the last half of the 4th for the Beavers, setting the stage for Moore's triple to make it 4-3. A sac fly on the next play provided an insurance run, and UNE avoided further damage when a trio to two-out free passes were followed by a strikeout.

Miora O'Reilly entered in relief of Katie Vlacich for Babson in the 5th and faced 12 batters the rest of the way. The Nor'easters did manage two hits in the 7th -- a leadoff single by Emma Michaud and two-out RBI-double by pinch hitter Marissa Durette -- but O'Reilly recorded her eighth strikeout to strand the tying run at second base and notch the save.

Vlacich collected nine strikeouts of her own in the win. Madia and Moore accounted for four of the five hits for the Beavers, who benefited from 10 walks.

Michaud had half of UNE's four hits. Mo Kinsella took the relief setback in the circle; she and starter Kara MacDonald both totaled three strikeouts.