Game 1 Statistics
Game 2 Statistics

MILTON, Mass. -- The University of New England struck for three runs in the top of the 8th inning of the nightcap, including the go-ahead two-run single by Grace Riva, as the Nor'easters beat Curry College by a 7-5 margin in Conference of New England (CNE) softball action on Friday (Apr. 25) at D. Forbes Will Field. The Colonels made the most out of five hits for a 4-1 result in the opener.

Emma Michaud had hits in both contests for UNE (10-24, 2-14 CNE), extending her streak to nine games and improving to a team-leading .347 batting average. The Nor'easters are now off until visiting Bowdoin College on Tuesday.

For Curry (15-19, 7-9), which slipped further from the edge of the playoff picture, entering the final week of the regular season, Mary Rodrigues and Gracie Keyes had hits on each side of the doubleheader. Jillian Rogers tossed a combined 9.1 innings in the circle and recorded 18 strikeouts.

Rogers was the first non-out recorded in GAME 2 (UNE 7-5), 11 batters in, and, after a groundout, Rodrigues singled to give the hosts a lead. But while UNE left the bases loaded in the top of the 3rd, the visitors did not miss a chance to bounce back in the 4th. Emma Koenig led off with the first of her two hits, and stood at third after two outs. Lizzie Brytowski came through with an RBI-single to tie it, then Riva doubled home Brytowski, and Hannah Lappin singled to make it 3-1.

The Nor'easters worked past the first two Colonels reaching in their portion of the 4th, but were unable maintain the cushion in the 5th as Curry got a couple of unearned runs off of starter Cat Higgins to slide in front, 4-3. However, UNE responded again, as a two-out single by Lappin in the 6th knocked in Brytowski -- who doubled -- to level it at 4-all.

The Colonels had the first two aboard in the bottom of the 6th, and runners at second and third with one away, but consecutive popouts ended that threat. A two-out double by Keyes in the 7th was a glimmer of hope for Curry, only to have a soft infield lineout conclude regulation on the next play.

With the overtime runner placed on second base, Brytowski started the extra inning with a bunt single and wound up on second after an unsuccessful throw towards third. That's when Riva delivered one up the middle to vault UNE ahead, 6-4, and, two outs later, Michaud tacked on some insurance with a double.

A steal and sac bunt netted one unearned run back for the hosts in their last chance, but that was it. Mo Kinsella picked up her second win for the Nor'easters in 3.1 innings of otherwise scoreless relief.

Brytowski and Riva each finished with three hits to lead all players, while Skylar Colburn and Kailey Collins-Fiore had two apiece for Curry. Rogers fanned five over 2.1 innings of work as a reliever, but took the loss.

Hits were hard to come by in GAME 1 (CC 4-1), through each of UNE's three went for extra bases, including a one-out double by Michaud in the 1st. The next hit by either side was with two gone in the top of the 3rd, when Hannah Irons sent her fourth home run over the left field fence for a 1-0 edge. Fourteen of Irons' 30 hits this season have been for more than a single.

But the lead was short-lived, as Curry got a single from Abby Greene and a homer by Ana Tsonis in the home half of the 3rd. After a two-out triple by UNE's Fiona Casey was stranded by a Rogers strikeout in the 4th, Rogers and Keyes singled and scored -- with the help of a passed ball, a bunt single, and a fielder's choice -- to pad the cushion from one to three runs.

Aside from a two-out walk, steal, and wild pitch that got Irons to third base in the 5th, Rogers shut down the visitors the rest of the way and posted 13 strikeouts in the win.

Kara MacDonald retired six of the last seven batters she faced, as well, and yielded three earned runs in the setback from the circle.