Game 1 Statistics
Game 2 Statistics

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Western New England University gathered a combined nine hits and six runs batted in from Riley Kane and Alex Ferriouolo on the way to a Conference of New England (CNE) softball doubleheader sweep of the University of New England, 6-3 and 6-2, at Nor'easter Diamond on Thursday (Apr. 24).

The Golden Bears (18-13-1, 8-5-1 CNE), who totaled 22 hits on the day, also got production in both contests from Angelees Carrasquillo and Shea McDaniel. Ava Blanchard and Kane secured the complete-game pitching decisions.

Emma Michaud and Grace Riva hit safely in each match for the Nor'easters (9-23, 1-11), who put up 18 over the course of the afternoon. Michaud now has a team-best nine multi-hit outings, and takes a seven-game hitting streak into Friday's (moved from Saturday) visit to Curry College.

Kane's lone hit in GAME 1 (WNEU 6-3) was a two-out RBI-double in the 1st to give the visitors a lead. The Nor'easters drew even in the 2nd, with the team's only extra-base connection of the day (double) from Delaney Whitten and RBI-single by Abby Walsh, but then Western New England moved back in front for good in the top of the 3rd. After a bases-loaded walk drwan by Kane, Ferriouolo made it 4-1 by plating a pair with a two-out ground-rule double.

A two-out RBI-single from Michaud in the 6th brought the potential tying run to the dish, but the hosts could not convert. UNE left two aboard in the 4th, 5th, and 6th frames.

Blanchard fanned six while allowing one earned run from the WNEU circle. Marley Rodriguez added two hits and drove in one for the offense.

Kara MacDonald took the setback for the Nor'easters. Michaud, Whitten and Walsh all registered a couple of hits.

Two infield singles by Alyssa Poisson and Carrasquillo plated runs to give the Golden Bears an edge in the 2nd inning of GAME 2 (WNEU 6-2). UNE split the difference later in the stanza, but a double by Kane and single out of Ferriouolo bumped it right back up to 3-1.

Kane had the only 1-2-3 inning of the entire contest during the UNE 3rd, but then had a hold on as the Nor'easters repeatedly applied pressure -- the hosts stranded a total of nine runners the rest of the way. An outfield assist from Rodriguez and tag by Carrasquillo at home kept a run off of the scoreboard in the 4th, and then Western New England dodged two UNE singles at the start of the 5th. To no avail, the Nor'easters also filled the bases with one down in the 6th.

Ferriouolo's third double of the day in the 5th prompted a UNE miscue on the tail end of the play, allowing the margin to grow to 4-1. Ferriouolo later stole home to add one more. In the 6th, Kane capped a 4-for-4 outing with another double that cashed in on Carrasquillo's second hit.

In UNE's last chance, with two out and a runner on second, back-to-back hits from Emma Koenig and Fiona Casey kept things alive to get one score back. But they ended up stuck at the corners.

Koenig and Casey each tallied three singles for the Nor'easters, who received three strikeouts from Cat Higgins against the three earned runs over five innings. Koenig has also reached base safely in her last 10 appearances.