Softball Blasts Five Homers to Sweep Newbury Thursday

QUINCY, Mass.- The Eastern Nazarene College softball team belted five home runs to down Newbury 7-2 and 15-1 Thursday afternoon at Mitchell/McCoy Field.

The Lions elevate to 19-14 on the year with the wins while the Nighthawks fall to 13-14 overall.

Viviana Coix (Warrenville, Ill.) racked up six hits on the day to lead the team while also adding three RBIs and three runs scored. Kayleen Garrick (Sparks, Nev.) scored five runs, drove in three RBIs, and landed three base knocks in the doubleheader. Lauren Weidler (Lansdale, Pa.) collected five RBIs, three hits, three runs scored, and one stolen base.

In game one, Eastern Nazarene climbed out of 2-0 hole to post a 7-2 win.

Newbury seized an early 1-0 edge with a run in the top of the first. Noelle Sass crossed the dish as Naomi Ricciotti singled to right field.

The Nighthawks doubled their lead to 2-0 with a score in the second inning. Tina Babcock scored on an error in the outfield after Elizabeth Kia landed a base knock.

The Lions tallied four runs in the bottom of the third to capture a 4-2 advantage. Heidi Gomez (Floral Park, N.Y.) scurried home on an infield single off the bat of Coix. Weidler roped a double to left to drive in Garrick from second base. Weidler and Coix both scored as Lauren Clements (Garrison, Texas) reached base on a fielder's choice.

Eastern Nazarene added a pair of runs in the fourth to take a 6-2 lead. Coix laced a double to the gap in right-center to plate Garrick and Heidi Gomez.

The Lions pushed across one run in the sixth to expand the margin to 7-2. Garrick crossed the dish as Clements reached on a fielder's choice.

Heidi Gomez hurled a complete game in the pitcher's circle and finished with three strikeouts.

The Lions, playing as the visitors in game two, hit five balls out of the park to cruise to a 15-1 victory in five innings.

Eastern Nazarene jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first frame. Weidler launched her third homer of the season, a three-run shot to left-center to drive in Garrick and Coix. Emily Gomez (Floral Park, N.Y.) slapped a single to right to knock in Meghan Stanley (Bedford, Mass.) from third base.

The Lions chalked up seven runs in the second to widen the gap to 11-0. Weidler poked a base hit to right to plate Coix. Elisabeth Schaffer (Benton, Pa.) roped a single down the line in left to score Weidler before Emily Gomez singled to center to drive in Clements. With two runners aboard, Kori Bow (Shaftsbury, Vt.) blasted her first collegiate home run to center to drive in Emily Gomez and Schaffer. Two batters later, Rachel Caswell (Utica, N.Y.) crushed her first career homer for a solo shot over the towering fence in left field.

Newbury got on the board in the bottom of the third to cut the deficit to 11-1. Lindsey Clark crossed the dish after a bases-loaded walk by Arianna Gooden.

Eastern Nazarene scored three times in the fourth inning to stretch its advantage to 14-1. Caswell and Heidi Gomez scored as Garrick smashed the team's fourth homer of the contest, a three-run blast to record her first collegiate home run.

The Lions tacked on a run in the fifth to extend the margin to 15-1. Clements led off the inning with her fourth homer of the season.

Schaffer pitched a complete game and struck out five batters.

Up next, Eastern Nazarene is slated to host CCC frontrunner Salve Regina April 21.