BEVERLY, Mass. — A dramatic five-run fourth inning was not enough for the No. 2 Roger Williams University Softball team on Sunday afternoon, as No. 1 Endicott answered back to claim a 7-5 victory in the Conference of New England (CNE) Softball Championship if-necessary game at the Softball Complex in Beverly.
The Hawks were out hit 8-4 on the game, with Kylyn McLaren leading the way for Endicott with two hits, three RBIs, and a walk. Caroline Cummings also recorded a pair of hits with an RBI, with Ella Tower and Elyse Saccoccio each adding a hit and an RBI in the contest.
Roger Williams was led offensively by Madison Moran (Attleboro, Mass.) who tallied a home run with three RBIs in the game, the lone extra base hit in the game, while Hailey Williams (Vernon, Conn.), McKenzie Foley (Hanover, Mass.), and Madison Tucholski (Massapequa, N.Y.) each added a hit.
In the circle, Kiera Quadros (East Providence, R.I.) picked up the loss, pitching 2.1 innings of relief while Natalie Lundari (Flemington, N.J.) started the game, pitching 1.2 with three hits and two earned runs. Analise Grady tallied with a win, moving to 10-5 on the year, coming out in relief for her second win of the day.
The Hawks finish the 2026 campaign with a 26-15 overall record after making their first appearance in the conference championship round since 2024. Endicott secured the league's automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament, ending the season at 26-13 overall, after posting a 15-5 season within the CNE.
After three scoreless innings from the Roger Williams offense, Endicott built an early advantage behind a solo home run from Saccoccio in the second inning and an RBI single from Cummings to take a 2-0 lead. The Gulls added another run in the third when Tower doubled to left center to score McLaren, pushing the deficit to 3-0.
Roger Williams erupted in the top of the fourth inning to seize momentum. Lucy Maurao (Holliston, Mass.)and Shannon Starratt (Lake George, N.Y.) worked back-to-back walks before Moran launched a three-run homer to left field, knotting the game at 3-3. The blast marked Moran's fifth home run of the season and drove in three of the Hawks' five runs on the afternoon.
The Hawks continued to pressure Endicott in the inning as Foley and Tucholski recorded consecutive singles. Following a fielder's choice, a pair of wild pitches from Grady allowed Tucholski and Grace Forsythe (Woburn, Mass.) to score, giving Roger Williams a 5-3 advantage.
Endicott responded immediately in the bottom half of the inning. Consecutive singles from Vania Moniz and Cummings set the stage before McLaren delivered the decisive swing of the game, blasting a three-run homer to left field to put the Gulls back in front, 6-5.
The Gulls added an insurance run in the fifth inning after a passed ball allowed Saccoccio to score, extending the lead to 7-5.
Roger Williams was unable to generate another rally over the final three innings as Endicott retired nine of the final 10 Hawk batters to close out the championship.
Roger Williams ends their season 26-15, with a 13-7 record within the CNE. The Hawks reached the conference championship series for the first time since 2024, falling one win away from their first title since the 2013 campgaign.
