Softball Rallies to Split Doubleheader Against Curry in Home-Opener

QUINCY, Mass.- The Eastern Nazarene College softball team battled back from an extra-inning 13-10 loss to claim the nightcap 12-0 in five frames against Curry in the first home games of the season Wednesday afternoon at Mitchell/McCoy Field.

The Lions move to 4-8 on the year and 1-1 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference. The Colonels progress to 5-5 overall and 1-1 in league contests.

Lauren Weidler (Lansdale, Pa.) led the home team offensively with five base knocks while adding two RBIs and a run. Viviana Coix (Warrenville, Ill.) finished with three hits, five runs scored, a pair of RBIs and a stolen base on the day. Emily Gomez (Floral Park, N.Y.) notched four hits, four RBIs and crossed the dish five times. Lauren Clements (Garrisson, Texas) collected four base knocks, drove in three RBIs and scored three runs while Kaitlyn Jimenez (Meriden, Conn.) recorded four hits, five runs scored and one RBI.

In game one, Curry outlasted Eastern Nazarene to open conference play with a 13-10 victory in nine innings.

The visitors plated a pair of runs in the top half of the first inning to seize a 2-0 advantage. Marissa Bruno singled up the middle to score April Adams and Amy Nolan.

The Lions responded with three runs in the bottom of the frame to grab a 3-2 edge. Jimenez scampered home as Coix swiped second base early in the inning. Clements tied the game with an RBI double to left to drive in Coix from second. Weidler plated the go-ahead run with an infield single that allowed Emily Gomez to cross the dish.

The Colonels reclaimed the lead in the second inning, knocking in five runs to establish a 7-3 margin. Adams and Rachel Byrd both landed two-run doubles and Mikayla Lambert picked up an RBI with a single up the middle in the frame.

Eastern Nazarene cut the deficit to three with a run in the fifth inning, 7-4. Clements crushed a solo home run over the fence in left field for her second blast of the spring.

The hosts rallied in the bottom of the seventh to level the game at 7-7. Emily Gomez laced a single down the right field line to drive in Jimenez. After Coix scored on a wild pitch, Heidi Gomez (Floral Park, N.Y.) slid into home safely on a wild pitch with two outs to even the contest.

Curry tallied one run in the eighth to jump ahead 8-7. Adams flared a single to right to plate Morgan Bogardus from third.

The Lions answered with another equalizer in the home half of the eighth. Meghan Stanley (Bedford, Mass.) delivered a clutch double to right field to drive in Heidi Gomez from second.

The guests scored five times in the top of the ninth to capture a 13-8 advantage. Mikayla Korona, Byrd, Bruno and Adams all registered RBIs for Curry in the inning.

Eastern Nazarene produced two runs in the bottom of the frame to reduce the gap to 13-10. With runners on the corners, Payton Fry (Chandler, Ariz.) raked a single up the middle to plate Coix before Emily Gomez scored on a groundout by Heidi Gomez.

Heidi Gomez tossed 1.2 innings and registered one strikeout. Weidler made her first relief appearance of the spring, pitching 7.1 innings and racking up five strikeouts.

In the nightcap, Eastern Nazarene exploded for a dozen runs en route to a 12-0 win in five innings.

The Lions manufactured six runs in the second inning to build a 6-0 lead. Jimenez, Coix, Emily Gomez, Fry and Heidi Gomez all notched RBI singles for Eastern Nazarene in the frame.

The home side drove in four runs in the third to extend its advantage to double digits, 10-0. Emily Gomez drove in Jimenez and Stanley with a double to right to collect her team-leading 11th and 12th RBIs of the season. Weidler smacked a single through the left side of the infield before Heidi Gomez drew a bases-loaded walk.

Eastern Nazarene tacked on a pair of run in the fourth to expand the gap to 12-0. Coix and Clements each poked RBI singles into centerfield for the Lions.

Heidi Gomez came back to spin a three-hit shutout to improve to 2-5 on the season in the pitcher's circle. She fanned nine batters and surrendered no walks in five innings of work.

Up next, Eastern Nazarene hits the road for a non-conference doubleheader at Elms March 26.