Softball Splits with Becker, Clinches Top Seed in NECC Tournament

QUINCY, Mass.- In the regular-season finale, the Eastern Nazarene College softball team halved a twinbill against Becker Sunday at Mitchell/McCoy Field. The Lions prevailed 1-0 in 10 innings to secure the No. 1 seed in the upcoming New England Collegiate Conference Tournament before dropping a 9-4 decision.

The Lions finish the regular season with a 24-12 overall record along with a 14-2 mark in the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) with the victories. The Hawks move to 22-14 on the year and 12-4 in league action with the results.

Kori Bow (Shaftsbury, Vt.) collected three hits and one RBI on the day. Dominique Santos (Lancaster, Calif.) notched three base knocks and one run scored. Rebecca Ashman (Havre de Grace, Md.) posted a pair of hits, two runs scored, and a stolen base. Lauren Clements (Garrison, Texas) tallied two base knocks and drove in one RBI. Jenessa Huerta (El Monte, Calif.) recorded one hit and a pair of RBIs.

In game one, Eastern Nazarene outlasted Becker 1-0 in a 10-inning battle.

The Lions scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the 10th as Huerta lifted a sacrifice fly to left to plate Ashman from third base.

Elisabeth Schaffer (Benton, Pa.) hurled a complete-game shutout in her 22nd start of the spring. She racked up a season-high 16 strikeouts while allowing just two hits and one walk in 10 innings of action.

In game two, Becker bounced back to claim a 9-4 win to salvage a split.

The visitors seized a 1-0 edge with one run in the top of the second inning. Samantha Buzgo singled to left to knock in Vasia Murphy.

The Hawks doubled their lead to 2-0 with a run in the third. Ashley Veillette roped a single to left-centerfield to drive in Sarah Ellis from second.

The home side responded with a run in the bottom of the third inning to cut the deficit to 2-1. Clements scorched a single down the left field line to score Santos.

Eastern Nazarene pulled even at 2-2 with a run in the fourth. Ashman tagged up and motored home from third on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Huerta.

Becker produced three runs in the top of the fifth to grab a 5-2 advantage. Murphy belted a three-run homer to left field to plate Emily Iacovelli and Ellis.

The Lions chalked up one run in the home half of the fifth inning to narrow the margin to 5-3. Bow raked a two-out double down the right field line to drive in Kiley Ozaki (Ewa Beach, Hawaii).

The hosts scored once in the sixth to trim the gap to 5-4. Rebecca Hayner (Halfmoon, N.Y.) scampered home on a sacrifice fly by Viviana Coix (Warrenville, Ill.).

The Hawks generated four runs in the seven to stretch their lead to 9-4. Veillette doubled to knock in Ellis and Iacovelli before Elizabeth Simonian and Buzgo collected back-to-back RBIs.

Meghan Stanley (Bedford, Mass.) spun her seventh complete game of the season and finished with three strikeouts.

Looking ahead, Eastern Nazarene will host NECC playoff games May 2, 4, and 5.