Golden Bears Drop NCAA Tournament Opener to Amherst, 2-0

WNE will face either Husson or Williams in elimination game on Saturday

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. (May 11, 2018) – The Western New England University softball team was held to one hit in a 2-0 loss to Amherst College in the opening game of the NCAA Tournament regional round on Friday afternoon at Cole Field on the campus of Williams College. 

Following the loss, Western New England (24-17) is scheduled to face the loser of the Williams/Husson contest on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. Amherst (28-6) will take on the winner at 11 a.m. Saturday's schedule could potentially be affected due to rain in the forecast.

Top Performers
• Sophomore Paige Uliase (Meriden, Conn.) turned in a strong performance in the circle, as she kept Amherst off the board over the first five innings before the Mammoths struck for a pair of runs in the sixth.
• Sophomore catcher Mallory Donelan (Mineola, N.Y.) accounted for Western New England's lone hit with her fourth-inning single.

• Amherst junior pitcher Lorena Ukanwa (Morgan Hill, Calif.) allowed just three batters to reach base during her complete game shutout performance as she improved to 17-1 this season.
• Freshman RonnieMarie Falasco (Broomall, Pa.) went 1-for-2 at the plate with a walk, a single and one run scored, while senior Ally Kido (San Jose, Calif.) and junior Kyra Naftel (Santa Clarita, Calif.) recorded one RBI each.

Game Review
Amherst threatened to score the game's first run in the bottom of the second inning, as Falasco led off with a single and advanced to second on a fielding error before taking third on a groundout by Naftel. She was stranded at third, however, as Uliase induced a pair of groundouts to escape the jam.

Western New England was able to advance a runner into scoring position in the fourth inning, as Donelan reached on a leadoff single and took second on a groundout, but Ukanwa got freshman Cassidy Howe (North Andover, Mass.) to ground out to end the frame.

Amherst broke the scoreless deadlock with a pair of runs in the sixth inning. A single, followed by fielding error and a walk allowed the Mammoths to load the bases, before Naftel laid down a bunt and reached on a fielder's choice, which brought in the go-ahead run. Kido came up two batters later with the bases still loaded and recorded an RBI groundout to double Amherst's advantage.

Ukanwa retired the side in order in the seventh to seal the win for the Mammoths.