Softball Walks Off in Game Two to Earn Doubleheader Split with UNE

QUINCY, Mass.- The Eastern Nazarene College softball team split a conference twinbill against the University of New England Monday in the first home games of the spring. The Lions fell 13-5 in six innings in game one before walking-off with a 5-3 victor in eight innings as Lauren Weidler (Lansdale, Pa.) belted her second home run of the contest.

The Lions move to 9-6 on the season and 1-3 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference with the results. The Nor'easters progress to 5-5 overall and 1-1 in league action with the outcomes.

Weidler paced the home side with three base hits, three runs scored, and three RBIs on the day. Lauren Clements (Garrison, Texas) and Viviana Coix (Warrenville, Ill.) each chipped in with a pair of hits and one RBI. Rachel Caswell (Utica, N.Y.) and Emily Gomez (Floral Park, N.Y.) both drove in two RBIs while adding a base knock and a run scored.

In game one, the University of New England racked up 16 hits en route to claiming a 13-5 win.

The visitors plated a pair of runs in the top of the first inning to grab a 2-0 edge. Avery Alberghini crossed the dish as Sydney Helmbrecht reached on an error. Andrea Gosper lifted a sacrifice fly to center to drive in Helmbrecht from third base.

Eastern Nazarene responded with two runs in the bottom of the first to level the score at 2-2. Emily Gomez roped a two-out single to right to knock in Tylan Onorato (Wiscassett, Maine) and Weidler.

The Nor'easters generated five runs in the second to build a 7-2 gap. Helmbrecht landed a single in right to drive in Melissa Jakubowski. Caroline Schoenbucher followed with a three-run double before motoring home on an RBI double by Gosper.

The University of New England tacked on three runs in the third to widen the margin to 10-2. Schoenbucher doubled to left to score Anna Sessa, Helmbrecht, and Alberghini.

The Lions tallied three runs in the home half of the fourth inning to cut the deficit to 10-5. Caswell laced a base knock to right-center to plate Meghan Stanley (Bedford, Mass.) and Emily Gomez. Coix drove in Caswell from second base with a two-out double to the gap in right-center.

The guests scored once in the fifth to push their lead to 11-5. Schoenbucher picked up her seventh RBI of the game as she drove in Alberghini with a single.

The Nor'easters pushed across two runs in the sixth to stretch their advantage to 13-5. Jakubowski and Sessa both scored as Alexis Kapsambelis landed a single in right field.

Heidi Gomez (Floral Park, N.Y.) tossed two innings and posted one strikeout. Stanley worked four innings of relief and fanned one batter.

In game two, Eastern Nazarene captured its first conference win of the season in walk-off fashion as Weidler clobbered a two-run homer in the eighth inning.

The Lions opened the scoring with a run in the bottom of the first, 1-0, as Clements singled to left to plate Kayleen Garrick (Sparks, Nev.).

The Nor'easters jumped ahead 2-1 with a pair of scores in the fourth. Schoenbucher scurried home on a wild pitch before Gosper scored as Lauren Gerhard grounded out.

Eastern Nazarene knotted the game at 2-2 in the home half of the fourth inning. Weidler launched her first home run of the game, a lead-off solo shot to straight-away centerfield.

The University of New England reclaimed a one-run edge in the fifth, 3-2. Schoenbucher hoisted a sacrifice fly to center to knock in Alberghini from third.

The Lions pulled even with a run in the bottom of the fifth frame, 3-3. Kori Bow (Shaftsbury, Vt.) crossed the plate as Stanley pushed a sacrifice bunt back to the pitcher.

Eastern Nazarene tallied two runs in the eighth to clinch the 5-3 win. Weidler smashed her second home run of the contest, a two-run homer to left-centerfield to bring in Garrick.

Elisabeth Schaffer (Benton, Pa.) pitched a complete game and finished with nine strikeouts.     

Up next, Eastern Nazarene returns to the diamond April 5 as it travels to Simmons for a non-conference doubleheader.