BRISTOL, R.I. – The Roger Williams University Softball had its three-game winning streak snapped as Western New England College swept the Saturday afternoon Commonwealth Coast Conference doubleheader by the scores 5-3 and 8-4.

 

The Golden Bears struck first, as Kate Post (Bridgewater, Mass.) singled in Allison Glassick (Newport, R.I.) in the top of the second to give WNEC a one-run lead. The Hawks would answer in the bottom of the inning, as Andrea Gregory (Toms River, N.J.) and Callie Nealon (Hopkinton, Mass.) each came around to score to put RWU up by a run.

 

After a scoreless third, Post capitalized on a two-out pitch to the backstop, scoring from third easily for the Golden Bears to knot the game at two. The bottom half of the inning saw Nealon lead off with a double, and then reaching third on a sac bunt by Michelle Caprice (Oak Ridge, N.J.). Samantha Teves (Somerset, Mass.) followed with a sacrifice fly to right field to score Nealon, giving the Hawks a 3-2 advantage.

 

After being held to only one hit in the fifth and sixth innings, the Golden Bears were able to get five runners on base, four via a base hit, in the top of the seventh. WNEC rallied for three unearned runs in the frame to take the 5-3 lead, eventually winning by the same score after setting down the 7-8-9 hitters for the Hawks in order in the bottom of the seventh.

 

Alexandra Sera (Newton, Mass.) took the loss, tagged for all five runs (two earned) in seven innings of work. Nealon was perfect from the plate, going 3-for-3 with two runs scored.

 

WNEC's Laura Bower (Hudson, Mass.) earned her fourth win of the year, going the distance and striking out five in the process. Post went 3-for-4 with a run and two RBI in the game, while Lauren Arsenault (Fitchburg, Mass.) had two hits and a run.

 

The second game opened with Jen Lyford (Raynham, Mass.) putting the Hawks up 1-0 in the bottom of the first, baiting the pitcher into an errant throw on a delayed steal of third base and scoring. The Golden Bears wasted no time erasing the deficit, scoring four runs on five hits in their following at-bat.

 

RWU was able to get one of those runs back in the bottom of the second, with Teves singling in Nealon. Yet the Golden Bears picked the run back up in the next inning, as Brittany DeGennaro (Orange, Conn.) began a three-run third for WNEC with a lead-off home run to left field.

 

The Hawks slowly chipped away at the deficit, scoring a run in each of the fourth and fifth innings.  They looked poised for a rally of their own in the bottom of the sixth, as RWU was able to load the bases with two outs. The charge stalled with an inning-ending force-out at home. The Golden Bears added one more run in the top of the seventh to come away with the victory.

 

Nealon and Teves were each 3-for-4 at the dish with Nealon adding two runs scored. Gregory dropped the decision, giving up seven runs in 2.1 innings.

 

DeGennaro earned the victory, pitching all seven innings with three strikeouts. Meredith Pacelli (Hamden, Conn.) had a 3-for-4 performance with a run and three RBI.

 

Roger Williams (7-9, 2-2 TCCC) will host the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth Monday at 5:00 p.m., while Western New England College (8-6, 2-2 TCCC) goes on the road Tuesday to play a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader against Endicott College.