Golden Bears edge UNE in pair (7-5, 3-1)

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Western New England University picked up two wins over the University of New England in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) softball action Friday afternoon (Apr. 13) at the UNE Softball Field, hanging on for a 7-5 decision in the opener before overcoming a slim deficit for a 3-1 result in the nightcap.

The Golden Bears improve to 13-11 overall (6-2 CCC) with the sweep, and jump ahead of the Nor'easters (12-12, 5-3 CCC) in the league standings.

The visitors struck right out of the gate in GAME 1 (WNEU 7-5), plating five runs in the top of the 1st inning. Paige Uliase put the first on the board with an RBI-single that scored Jen Zazzarino for the first of two times. After the second out of the frame, WNEU added three unearned runs, including two on the first hit of the contest by Carlie Moss.

Uliase set down the first seven UNE batters from the circle, and helped her own cause again with two
away in the 4th on another RBI-single. Madison Muribito followed with an RBI-single of her own and the advantage was 7-0.

After stranding two in scoring position with one out in the 3rd, and coming up empty when back-to-back singles started the 4th, the Nor'easters managed to get one run in the 5th on a groundout.

UNE leaped closer in the 6th, registering four runs to slice the margin down to two (7-5). Melissa Jakubowski began the rally with an RBI-double, and, after a pitching change, scored on a groundout. Anna Sessa and Andrea Gosper then reached with two-out hits (numbers 2 and 3, respectively), before Caroline Schoenbucher launched a bases-clearing double. Uliase returned for the final out of the stanza.

Western New England loaded the bases with one away in the 7th, looking to pad the lead, but could not push any across facing UNE relief pitcher Sarah Lachapelle, who worked three scoreless innings with two strikeouts.

Uliase retired the side, in order, to seal her seventh win. Cassidy Howe joined Uliase and Moss with two hits for the offense, and Jenn Luba accounted for two runs scored.

Sydnee Bessler fanned five in the loss for the hosts.

Bessler escaped second and third with no outs in the 2nd inning of GAME 2 (WNEU 3-1), and the Nor'easters benefited from an error in the 3rd to go up, 1-0.

The Golden Bears bounced right back in the 4th, getting a lead-off double by Howe -- her second of the match. Giovanna Russo singled to establish runners at the corners, and once a sacrifice fly brought Howe in to score, Allie Buzzeo tripled to the wall in left to plate Russo for a 2-1 edge.

Luba added an insurance run in the 5th, cracking a lead-off shot over fence in left.

Aimee Kistner got the pitching win behind seven strikeouts. Like Howe, Buzzeo and Sydney Pounds finished with two hits for WNEU.

Bessler also whiffed seven in the circle for UNE, which received hits from Sam Dreissig, Meg Harvey, Lachapelle, and Schoenbucher. Bessler has now recorded 109 strikeouts in 111.1 innings to-date, which is already the fifth-best season mark for the program over the last 23 campaigns on-record.