Softball Suffers Two Setbacks to Endicott

QUINCY, Mass.- The Eastern Nazarene softball team dropped a pair of Commonwealth Coast Conference games Saturday afternoon at Mitchell/McCoy Field, falling to Endicott 10-0 and 8-4. The Lions move to 6-17 overall and 3-7 in the conference with the losses. The Gulls improve to 2-10 on the year and 2-0 in league play with the results.

Sam Losano (Elverta, Calif.) registered four hits on the day, including the home team's first hit in game one. Cayla Clinkscale (Winchendon, Mass.) collected a pair of base knocks and drove in two RBIs. Britny Costa (New Bedford, Mass.) and Olivia Tovar (Coarsegold, Calif.) each chipped in with a hit and one run scored in the twinbill.

In the opening contest of the day, Endicott grabbed a 3-0 edge in the top of the second inning. Sam DiBella, Byrne Katz and Alexandra Moise all came around to score as the Lions committed a pair of errors in the frame.

The visitors tacked on two runs in the third to stretch their lead to 5-0. Krista Fales and Colleen Martin belted back-to-back solo homers to lead off the third.

The Gulls added a trio of runs in the fourth to widen the margin to 8-0. Jesse Bilafer crossed the plate as Fales dropped down a bunt with one away in the frame. Martin followed with her second home run of the game, a two-run shot to centerfield.

Endicott tallied two runs in the fifth to take a 10-0 advantage. DiBello scored on an illegal pitch and Moise scampered home on a wild pitch.

Kori Sorensen (Quincy, Mass.) pitched four innings for Eastern Nazarene and struck out three batters. Nell O'Connor tossed a two-hit complete game with six strikeouts for the Gulls.

In game two, the visitors erupted for five runs in the top of the first. Corda scored on a wild pitch and Bilafer scored on an RBI single by Martin. Katz followed with a three-run home run to centerfield to plate Fales and Martin.

Endicott picked up a run in the second to take a 6-0 lead as Bilafer motored home on a groundout by Martin. The Gulls added a score in the fourth as Martin's sacrifice fly to center allowed Corda to tag up and from third to expand the gap to 7-0.

The Lions got on the board in the home half of the fourth, tallying two runs. Clinkscale lifted a sacrifice fly to right to drive in Carissa Cicolini (Methuen, Mass.). Costa also crossed the plate on an errant throw home.

The hosts scored once in the fifth to cut the deficit to 7-3. Tovar trotted home as Losano was thrown out attempting to steal second base.

Endicott responded with a run in the sixth to claim an 8-3 edge. Amanda Campbell crossed the plate on a fielder's choice by Danielle LaRocque with one out.

Eastern Nazarene closed out the scoring with a run in the bottom of the sixth. Clinkscale laced a single to left to drive in Kendra Brasil (Haverhill, Mass.) from second.

Cicolini hurled two innings in her fourth start of the spring. Costa worked the final five innings in the pitcher's circle and fanned five batters while allowing four hits and two runs.

Up next, the Lions step out of conference play to battle Fitchburg State on the road April 9.