Softball Edged by Lesley, 7-6, in NECC Championship Series

REVERE, Mass.- The top-seeded Eastern Nazarene College softball team dropped a hard-fought 7-6 decision to No. 3 seed Lesley in the New England Collegiate Conference Tournament championship series Sunday afternoon.

The Lions finish the season with a 22-22 overall record. The Lynx improve to 18-15 on the year as they clinch their eighth all-time NECC title.

Aurora Adams (Fullerton, Calif.), Jennelle Munoz (Lake Elsinore, Calif.), and Bailey Olaveson (Lakeside, Calif.) were named to the NECC All-Tournament team.

Adams posted three hits, four RBIs, and one run scored. Taylor Brandt (Napa, Calif.) collected three base knocks, three runs scored, one RBI, and a stolen base. Yaya Bowden (Danbury, Conn.) added a pair of hits while Olaveson chipped in with one hit and one RBI.

Eastern Nazarene manufactured one run in the top of the first inning to grab an early 1-0 lead. Adams roped a two-out double to right field to drive in Brandt from second base.

Lesley responded with a run in the bottom of the frame to level the contest at 1-1. Ilana Zack laced a double to centerfield to knock in Jordan Day all the way from first.

The Lynx chalked up a run in the fourth to seize a 2-1 edge. Tara Eldredge crossed the dish as Mahlia Medina slapped a single to left field.

Lesley generated three runs in the fifth to widen the margin to 5-1. Zack belted a two-run home run to right-centerfield to plate Day. Antonia Kieran scampered home from third base on an infield hit by Lindsey Jensen.

The Lions scored twice in the top of the sixth to cut the deficit to 5-3. Adams clobbered her sixth homer of the season, a two-run blast to drive in Brandt.

The Lynx notched two runs in the home half of the sixth inning to reclaim a four-run advantage, 7-3. Day launched her team-leading 10th home run of the year to plate Megan Murphy.

Eastern Nazarene tallied three runs in the top of the seventh but its two-out rally came up just short. Brandt raked a single up the middle to knock in Alexys Giddings (Kuna, Idaho). Olaveson followed with a base hit to score Ashley Mieses (Bronx, N.Y.) from second base before Adams lasered a single to right-centerfield to plate Brandt.

Munoz pitched her 28th complete game of the spring and registered one strikeout.