Softball Endures Two Losses to Gordon in First Home Doubleheader

QUINCY, Mass.- The Eastern Nazarene softball team dropped a pair of closely-contested ballgames to Gordon Thursday afternoon at Mitchell/McCoy.

The Fighting Scots fended off the Lions in the opening contest to earn a 4-2 victory. Gordon used a late rally in the second game to force extra innings and prevail in eight frames, 5-4.

Eastern Nazarene dips to 6-14 on the season and 2-8 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference. Gordon improves to 7-13 overall and 4-6 in league play with the results.

Kendra Brasil (Methuen, Mass.) collected a team-high three base hits on the day while also crossing the plate once. Sterling Marino (North Kingstown, R.I.) and Olivia Tovar (Coarsegold, Calif.) each recorded two hits and two RBIs in the twinbill. Sam Losano (Elverta, Calif.) picked up a pair of base knocks and scored a run while Abigail Moore (Sheridan, Calif.) finished with two runs scored, one hit and one stolen base.

Gordon got on the board in the top of the first to grab an early 1-0 lead. Skylar Bareford singled down the right field line to drive in Rachel Ryder from third.

The Fighting Scots extended their advantage to three in the third inning, 3-0. Bareford laced a one-out triple to right-center to score Kendall Bukuras from first base. Bareford tagged up and scored as Kara Pepper fouled out to right field.

The visitors tacked on a run in the fifth to widen the margin to 4-0. Alyssa Unumb trotted home as Bukuras grounded out to the shortstop.

Eastern Nazarene sliced the deficit in half with a pair of scores in the sixth inning, 4-2. Brasil scampered home as Cayla Clinkscale (Winchendon, Mass.) reached on a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt attempt. Marino followed with a sacrifice fly to center to plate Moore from third.

The Lions threatened in the bottom of the seventh with two runners in scoring position but were unable to score as Gordon escaped with a 4-2 win.

Carissa Cicolini (Methuen, Mass.) spun a complete game and racked up five strikeouts while allowing six hits.

In the second tilt of the doubleheader, the Fighting Scots claimed a 1-0 advantage in the top of the first inning. Bukuras slid into home safely on a fielder's choice off the bat of Stephanie Zaloom.

Eastern Nazarene responded with a pair of runs in the home half of the frame to seize a 2-1 edge. Losano worked a leadoff single and advanced to third as Moore reached base on a throwing error. After Moore stole second, Marino sliced an RBI single to right field to plate Losano and square up the game at 1-1. Tovar followed with a bunt single to drive in Moore from third base with the go-ahead run.

The Lions chalked up a run in the fourth to double their lead to two, 3-1. Kaitlyn Jimenez (Meriden, Conn.) came around to score as Shelby Bass (Visalia, Calif.) got on base due to a throwing error as she dropped down a sacrifice bunt.

Gordon battled back in the top of the seventh inning, plating a pair of runs to force extra innings. Zaloom raked a single down the left field line to score Bareford. Gabriel Roberts drove in Pepper from second base with a single to left to tie the contest at 3-3.

The Fighting Scots scored twice in the first bonus frame to take a 5-3 lead. Emily Burkhart dashed home on a wild pitch to give the visitors a one-run edge. Bareford plated Gordon's second run of the inning with a single up the middle as Ryder crossed the plate.

Eastern Nazarene tallied one run in the bottom of the eighth, pulling the final score to 5-4. Clinkscale motored home from third as Tovar rolled a grounder to the shortstop.

Tovar pitched seven and two-thirds innings and fanned one batter. Cicolini finished off the game in the pitcher's circle, picking up the final out of the eighth.

Up next, Eastern Nazarene continues conference play with a doubleheader against Western New England April 11 at Mitchell/McCoy Field.