League-Leading Softball Sweeps Mitchell on Senior Day

QUINCY, Mass.- The Eastern Nazarene College softball team notched two victories over Mitchell Friday afternoon at Mitchell/McCoy Field, prevailing 2-1 and 8-0.

The Lions elevate to 20-10 on the season with the wins and move into sole possession of first-place in the NECC standings with an 11-1 mark. The Mariners sink to 8-19 overall and 1-9 in league play with the results.

Prior to the start of the series, the Eastern Nazarene softball program honored its senior class: Rebecca Ashman (Havre de Grace, Md.), Lauren Clements (Garrison, Texas), Viviana Coix (Warrenville, Ill.), Kelly Donahue (Quincy, Mass.), Tylan Onorato (Wiscassett, Maine), and Meghan Stanley (Bedford, Mass.).

Kori Bow (Shaftsbury, Vt.) paced the offense with four hits, three runs scored, and one RBI on the day. Dominique Santos (Lancaster, Calif.) landed four base knocks and scored one run. Ashman finished with two hits, three RBIs, one run scored, and one stolen base. Clements collected three base hits, two RBIs, and two runs scored while Coix added three hits, one RBI, and one run.

In game one, Eastern Nazarene rallied late to down Mitchell 2-1.

The visitors seized a 1-0 edge with a run in the top of the seventh. Krista Guidebeck crossed the dish as Maliah Pabellon reached on an error.

The home side clawed back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning to walk-off with its eighth-consecutive victory. Onorato scampered home from third on a groundball off the bat of Ashman for the equalizer. Rebecca Hayner (Halfmoon, N.Y.) followed with a sacrifice fly to drive in Bow for the winning run.

Elisabeth Schaffer (Benton, Pa.) spun a complete game and posted eight strikeouts in her 18th start.

In game two, Eastern Nazarene racked up a season-high 15 hits to blank Mitchell 8-0 in six innings.

The Lions produced five runs in the bottom of the first inning to claim a 5-0 advantage. Clements laced a single to centerfield to plate Santos from third base. Bow knocked in Kiley Ozaki (Ewa Beach, Hawaii) with a hard-hit grounder back up the middle. Ashman flared a double down the right field line to score Bow and Clements. Hayner followed with a double down the left field line to drive in Ashman.

The hosts tacked on a run in the fourth to widen the gap to 6-0. Coix tagged up and scurried home from third base as Clements hoisted a sacrifice fly to centerfield.

Eastern Nazarene added a score in the fifth to push its lead to 7-0. Coix raked a single up the middle to plate Bow with two outs.

The Lions clinched their ninth win in a row with a run in the bottom of the sixth inning as Clements scored from third on a wild pitch.

Stanley tossed her fifth complete game of the season and fanned one batter.

Looking ahead, Eastern Nazarene is slated to travel to Elms April 22.