Softball Begins NECC Title Defense Friday, Battles Becker in Opening Clash

QUINCY, Mass.- The top-seeded Eastern Nazarene College softball team looks to defend its 2019 NECC Championship as it squares off against fourth-seeded Becker in the first game of the 2021 New England Collegiate Conference Softball Tournament Friday.

BASICS:
Date: 05/07/21
Location: Griswold Park | Revere, Mass.
Time: 12:00 pm
Follow: Live Stats | Live Video

HOW THEY GOT HERE:
Eastern Nazarene concluded the regular season with a 21-5 overall record and earned the No. 1 seed in the NECC Tournament with a 14-4 league mark. Becker enters the postseason sporting a 12-14 overall record grabbed the No. 4 seed with an 8-10 conference record.

ENC vs. BECKER – ALL-TIME SERIES:
The Lions and Hawks have met on the diamond six times with Eastern Nazarene owning a 4-2 all-time record versus Becker. The Lions claimed three wins and dropped one decision against the Hawks during the regular season.

BRACKETOLOGY:
The winner of Friday's showdown will advance to face the winner of #2 Lesley vs. #3 New England College on Saturday at Mitchell/McCoy Field in Quincy, Massachusetts. The losing teams of Friday's tilts will face-off Friday afternoon in an elimination game. The NECC Championship series is scheduled for Sunday, May 9.

BOMB SQUAD:
Eastern Nazarene ranks second in the conference with 18 home runs on the season. Aurora Adams paces the league with seven homers while Bailey Olaveson ranks tied for third with six on the year.

WEEKLY HONORS:
Eastern Nazarene has collected nine weekly conference accolades this spring. Aurora Adams and Bailey Olaveson have each been named the NECC Player of the Week twice. Jennelle Munoz has garnered a pair of NECC Pitcher of the Week nods and one NECC Rookie of the Week honor. Adriana Montuya earned one NECC Pitcher of the Week accolade and Alexys Giddings has been selected as the NECC Rookie of the Week once.


POSTSEASON ACCOLADES:
Eastern Nazarene garnered a league-best six All-New England Collegiate Conference first team nods, as the conference announce the postseason awards Wednesday. Jennelle Munoz (Lake Elsinore, Calif.) became the first student-athlete in conference history to earn NECC Pitcher and Rookie of the Year honors in the same season. Aurora Adams (Fullerton, Calif.), Taylor Brandt (Napa, Calif.), Rebecca Hayner (Halfmoon, N.Y.), Bailey Olaveson (Lakeside, Calif.), and Alex Schwenger (Danville, Calif.) all joined Munoz on the All-NECC first team while Hayner also claimed a spot on the NECC Del Malloy Sportsmanship Team for the second year in a row.

CHAMPS ARE HERE:
In 2019, Eastern Nazarene captured its first-ever New England Collegiate Conference title. The top-seeded Lions battled past Lesley to reach the championship series and topped New England College twice to claim their first conference championship. Eastern Nazarene made its NCAA Tournament debut in 2019.