Softball Drops Two-Game Set at Curry Saturday Afternoon

MILTON, Mass.- The Eastern Nazarene softball team suffered a pair of setbacks at Curry Saturday afternoon. The Lions were dealt a 13-0 loss in the opening contest before shouldering a 16-2 decision in the nightcap.

The Lions sink to 6-12 on the season and 2-6 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference with the losses. The Colonels improved to 13-7 overall and 4-0 in league games with the wins.

Abigail Moore (Sheridan, Calif.) racked up three hits on the afternoon to lead Eastern Nazarene. Sam Losano (Elverta, Calif.) finished with a pair of base knocks. Kendra Brasil (Methuen, Mass.) and Sterling Marino (North Kingstown, R.I.) each recorded a hit and an RBI in the doubleheader.

In game one of the day, Curry broke a scoreless tie in the top of the third with a pair of runs. Paige Smigiel crossed the plate on a single to centerfield by Kaitlyn Maderios. Amy Nolan lifted a sacrifice fly to center to allow Maderios to tag up and score from third.

The Colonels added three scores in the fourth to extend their lead to 5-0. Marissa Bruno trotted home on an RBI single to left by Smigiel and Maderios followed with an RBI to drive in Allie Carver. Smigiel scampered home on a wild pitch with one out.

Curry tacked on a run in the fifth to widen the margin to six, 6-0, as Bruno sliced a solo home run to right field.

The Colonels erupted for seven tallies in the seventh inning to increase their advantage to double digits, 13-0.

Carissa Cicolini (Methuen, Mass.) went the distance in the pitcher's circle and finished with three strikeouts.

In the second game of the series, Curry struck early with an 11-run outburst in the top of the first frame. After Meghan Flaherty crossed the plate with the Colonels' first run of the contest, Bruno blasted a three-run homer to left-center.

Mikayla Korono drove in Smigiel and Carver with a one-out single to right-center for Curry's fifth and sixth runs. Ariel LaRosa hammered a grand slam to center to plate Nolan, Korona and Taylor Ahearn. Bruno followed with her second home run of the inning and third on the afternoon, a solo shot to left.

The Colonels added three runs in the third to push the score to 14-0. LaRosa, Carver and Maderios all came around to score for Curry in the inning.

Eastern Nazarene got on the board in the home half of the third as Brasil dashed home from third base on a single up the middle by Marino with two outs.

Curry chalked up a pair of scores in the fourth to expand the gap to 16-1. Maderios landed a single in center to plate Lindsay Fedro and Kelly Duggan.

The Lions picked up a run in the bottom of the fourth inning. After Shelby Bass (Visalia, Calif.) advanced to third on back-to-back wild pitches, Brasil laced a single to right to drive in the rookie.

Olivia Tovar (Coarsegold, Calif.) pitched a complete game and retired three batters by way of the "K".

Up next, Eastern Nazarene will look to snap its six-game skid with a home twinbill against Western New England Tuesday, April 8 at Mitchell/McCoy Field.