Kistner & Uliase Post Complete Game Efforts as Golden Bears Sweep Eastern Connecticut

Golden Bears win by scores of 6-3 and 11-3

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (April 14, 2017) – Freshmen pitchers Aimee Kistner (Taunton, Mass.) and Paige Uliase (Meriden, Conn.) both turned in complete game efforts as the Western New England University softball team swept a non-conference doubleheader against Eastern Connecticut State University on Friday afternoon at Golden Bear Park. Western New England registered a 6-3 win in the opener, before rolling to an 11-3, six-inning triumph in game two.  

Western New England 6, Eastern Connecticut State 3

Top Performers
• Kistner did it all for the Golden Bears in game one, as she got the start in the circle and lasted all seven innings, striking out four batters and allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits to improve to 4-2 this spring. She also went 2-for-3 at the plate with a double, two RBI and one run scored.
• Junior Lindsay Williams (Coventry, Conn.) went 2-for-4 out of the leadoff spot, while freshman Danielle Flint (Kinderhook, N.Y.) walked and hit a grand slam.

• Senior Samantha Bardos (Norwalk, Conn.) accounted for one of Eastern Connecticut's four hits and drove in two runs, while classmate Gina Georgetti (Milford, Conn.) went 1-for-3 with one RBI.

Game Review
• Kistner staked the Golden Bears to an early lead with a two-run double in the bottom of the first inning, scoring Williams and junior Jen Zazzarino (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.).
• Eastern Connecticut answered with three runs on three hits and one error in the top of the third. With two outs and two runners in scoring position, Bardos singled to right field, scoring a pair of runs. Georgetti followed with an RBI single down the right field line as the Warriors claimed a 3-2 advantage.
• After going down in order in the third, Western New England regained the lead in the fourth. Kistner led off with a single to left field, before senior Katie Wood (Westport, Mass.) singled with one out and freshman Paige Uliase (Meriden, Conn.) walked to load the bases. Flint came up next and emptied the bases with her first career home run, a grand slam over the left field fence that gave Western New England a 6-3 lead it would not relinquish.
• Kistner retired the side in order in the fifth and sixth innings, before working around a leadoff walk in the seventh to seal the win.

Western New England 11, Eastern Connecticut State 3 (6 Innings)

Top Performers
• Making her tenth start of the season in game two, Uliase went the distance for the sixth time this spring, striking out two batters and allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits over six innings. The freshman also made an impact at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a walk, two RBI and two runs scored.
• Williams posted a 3-for-4 effort with one RBI and one run, while Wood singled twice and scored three runs.

• Bardos again led the Warriors, going 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored, while freshman Sara Pisanelli (Wallingford, Conn.) and junior Jessica Seymour (Barkhamsted, Conn.) added two hits each.

Game Review
• Western New England opened the scoring with three runs in the bottom of the third, as Zazzarino recorded an RBI single up the middle and an errant throw allowed a second run to cross the plate. Zazzarino eventually came in to score on a wild pitch as the Golden Bears opened up a 3-0 lead.
• Western New England pushed across three more runs in the fourth on four hits, including an RBI single by Uliase and an RBI double off the bat of freshman Carlie Moss (Delmar, N.Y.).
• Eastern Connecticut got back into the game with three runs in the top of the fifth. Bardos got the Warriors on the board with an RBI double, before freshman Teresa Marchitto (Orange, Conn.) recorded an RBI single and Bardos later scored on a throwing error.
• The Golden Bears stretched their lead to five (8-3) with two runs in the fifth, before ending the contest with three more runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Notes
• Kistner and Uliase were charged with just four combined earned runs over 13 innings today.
• Williams went 5-for-8 over the two games.

Up Next
Western New England (16-6) returns to Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) play on Monday with a doubleheader at Gordon, while Eastern Connecticut (7-15) heads home to host Plymouth State tomorrow.