Golden Bears Drop Doubleheader at No. 20 Springfield

Kistner posts 4-for-5 effort at the plate with double, home run, two walks and three RBI

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (April 11, 2017) – The Western New England University softball team dropped both ends of a non-conference doubleheader to No. 20 nationally ranked Springfield College on Tuesday afternoon at Potter Field. The Pride prevailed 6-5 in a back-and-forth opener, before posting a 12-4 win in game two.

Springfield 6, Western New England 5

Top Performers                                                                                                          
• Senior shortstop Gabby Lavinio (Dalton, Mass.) and junior catcher Jenn Luba (Plymouth, Conn.) led the Golden Bears at the plate in the opener, going 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored. Freshman Aimee Kistner (Taunton, Mass.) went 2-for-3 with a walk and a double, while classmate Danielle Flint (Kinderhook, N.Y.) singled and drove in a run.
• Freshman Paige Uliase (Meriden, Conn.) got the start for the Golden Bears in the circle and cruised through the first four innings, surrendering just two hits. Uliase did not factor into the decision as she allowed four runs (three earned) over 5.1 frames with two strikeouts and two walks.

• Juniors Carianna Gasdia (Wakefield, Mass.) and Talia Loda (East Haven, Conn.) and freshmen Alexyss Conley (Bloomingburg, N.Y.) and Allie Wheeler (Agawam, Mass.) all finished with two hits and one RBI for Springfield. Loda also pitched 6.1 innings, struck out five batters and allowed four runs (one earned) on eight hits.

Game Review
• Western New England struck first with two runs on two hits in the second inning. Uliase helped her own cause with an RBI groundout, and Flint came through with a two-out, RBI single through the left side of the infield.
• After struggling to get its offense going through the first four frames, Springfield broke through for three runs in the fifth to claim a 3-2 edge. Conley led off with a walk, stole second and eventually came around to score on an infield single by Loda. The Pride tacked on two more runs as Gasdia singled through the right side, plating Lodia, while an error in the outfield allowed another run to come in.
• Springfield secured an insurance run in the sixth as freshman Meghan Sastram (Oxford, Conn.) doubled to left center, scoring Conley.
• Trailing 4-2 heading into the top of the seventh, Western New England rallied with three runs to regain a 5-4 advantage. With runners on first and second and one out, Lavinio recorded an RBI single to make it a one-run game. Two batters later, freshman Carlie Moss (Delmar, N.Y.) reached on an error and junior Jen Zazzarino (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) came in to score the game-tying run. Luba capped the big frame with a two-out RBI double into the gap in left center, putting the Golden Bears back in front.
• Springfield put together one final rally in the bottom of the seventh, however, as the Pride tied the contest on an RBI double by Wheeler before walking off with a win on Conley's single through the left side of the infield with the bases loaded. 

Springfield 12, Western New England 4 (5 innings)

Top Performers                                                                                                          
• Kistner continued to have success at the plate in game two, going 2-for-2 with a walk, a home run and three RBI.
• Zazzarino also recorded two hits, while Luba went 1-for-3 with one RBI.

• Springfield tallied 14 hits in game two, led by Loda and Conley, who recorded three hits each while combining for five RBI and five runs scored.

Game Review
• The Golden Bears again got on the board first, this time using a two-run homer by Kistner to claim an early advantage.
• Springfield answered with a seven-run second inning, however, that featured two-run singles by both Conley and Loda and a two-run home run off the bat of Wheeler.
• An RBI triple by junior Kayla Padroff (Southington, Conn.) highlighted Springfield's four-run fourth as the Pride opened up an 11-2 lead.
• Western New England got two runs back in the top of the fifth on RBI singles by Kistner and Luba, but Gasdia recorded a sacrifice fly in the bottom half of the inning, ending the contest after five frames as Springfield led by eight.

Notes
• Kistner went 4-for-5 at the plate over the two games with two walks, a double, a home run, three RBI and two runs scored.
• The Golden Bears outhit the Pride 10-9 in game one.

Up Next
Western New England (14-6) will be right back in action tomorrow, as the Golden Bears return home to host Nichols for a CCC doubleheader at 3 p.m. Springfield (21-3) is also in action tomorrow at Eastern Connecticut State.