Softball Splits Slugfest Doubleheader at Nichols Friday

DUDLEY, Mass.- The Eastern Nazarene College softball team clobbered four home runs and swapped wins at Nichols Friday afternoon. The Lions prevailed 15-9 in game one before narrowly falling to the Bison 5-4 in game two.

Eastern Nazarene progresses to 7-11 on the year and 2-2 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference with the outcomes. Nichols moves to 6-8 overall and 1-3 in league play with the results.

Lauren Weidler (Lansdale, Pa.) notched five hits on the day, including two homers, while scoring three runs and driving in two RBIs. Lauren Clements (Garrison, Texas) landed four hits, including a grand slam, and recorded six RBIs while crossing the dish three times. Kaitlyn Jimenez (Meriden, Conn.) collected five base knocks, four runs and a pair of RBIs. Becky Bahr (Brentwood, N.Y.) finished with four hits and two runs scored while Viviana Coix (Warrenville, Ill.) added three hits, two runs scored and one RBI.

In game one, Eastern Nazarene racked up 15 hits en route to a 12-7 victory in six innings.

The Lions plated three runs in the top of the first to jump out to a 3-0 edge. Jimenez and Coix both crossed the dish as Clements reached on an error. Clements came around to score as Payton Fry (Chandler, Ariz.) got on base with a fielder's choice.

The Bison responded with a run in the bottom of the frame to cut the deficit to 3-1. Kendall Meehan homered to right-center with two outs.

Nichols reduced the gap to 3-2 with a run in the third inning. Samantha DiReda tagged up and scored a Christina Barrows lifted a sacrifice fly to center.

The home team leveled the contest at 3-3 in the fourth as Christina Drake drove in Meehan from third with a groundout.

Eastern Nazarene erupted for nine runs in the top of the sixth inning to establish a 12-3 advantage. Jimenez delivered an RBI single to plate Bahr from second base before Meghan Stanley (Bedford, Mass.) crossed the dish on a double off the bat of Coix. The Lions belted back-to-back home runs as Clements blasted a grand slam for her third homer of the spring before Weidler launched her first collegiate homer. Heidi Gomez (Floral Park, N.Y.) doubled to right to drive in Kelly Couite (West Bridgewater, Mass.) before scoring on an error.

The Bison knocked in four runs in the bottom of the sixth to slim the margin to 12-7. Kasey Ayer laced a single to right-center to plate Meehan and Drake scored on a groundout by Haley Fountain. Jade Palladino hit Nichols' second home run of the game, a two-run shot to center.

In the top of the seventh, Clements and Weidler hammered back-to-back homers for the second time in the game to extend the visitors' lead to 15-7. Clements smashed a two-run bomb to drive in Jimenez for her team-leading fourth dinger of the year and Weidler notched her second solo shot of the contest.

The hosts tallied two runs in the home half of the seventh to narrow the deficit to 15-9. Sara Monaco and Drake each collected an RBI.

Heidi Gomez tossed her 10th complete game of the season and recorded a pair of strikeouts as she improved to 5-6 in the circle.

In the nightcap, Nichols erased a four-run deficit to earn its first conference win of the season 5-4.

Eastern Nazarene snagged an early 1-0 lead as Jimenez scurried home on a wild pitch in the top of the first inning.

The Lions quadrupled their advantage to 4-0 in the fourth as Heidi Gomez singled up the middle to drive in Weidler from third base. Jimenez raked a two-out single into right to plate Heidi Gomez before Bahr was awarded home on a balk.

The Bison rallied in the bottom of the fourth to trim the deficit to 4-3. Ayer crushed a three-run homer to knock in Drake and Meehan.

Nichols captured a one-run lead in the fifth, 5-4, as Meehan homered for the second time on the day.

Weidler pitched six innings and struck out seven batters in her sixth start of the spring.

Up next, Eastern Nazarene returns home to battle defending CCC champion Western New England April 2.