Golden Bears Open Up the Season with Two Wins

Kissimmee, Fla. (March 11, 2023) – The Golden Bears started their season with two big wins in Florida. After falling 2-0 in the first inning of their first game, WNE had a big sixth inning that carried them to a 6-3 win against SUNY Geneseo. WNE would take that momentum into their second game of the day and beat SUNY Fredonia 7-3. 

Game 1: Western New England 6, Geneseo 3

The first inning was a bit of a mess for the Golden Bears as VanDerwarker scored on a fielder's choice and was followed by Martz later in the first inning. However, then Megan Beebe would find a rhythm and not let up another run during her six innings of pitching. WNE started to claw their way back into the game in the fifth inning when Paige Baca scored on a wild pitch. Then, in the sixth inning, Baca singled and brought home Madison Mason to tie up the game at two a piece. Kaleigh Blades would follow that up with a single, bringing Gracie Hemstock home on a fielder's choice. 

Finally, with the bases loaded and Dina DiBlasio at the plate, Geneseo's pitcher made the mistake of giving the reigning CCC Player of the Year something to hit, and DiBlasio brought home all three runs with a double to increase the lead for the Golden Bears to four. With the score 6-2 going into the seventh, Beebe finished the day with two earned runs and five strikeouts during six innings of pitching. Riley Kane relieved Beebe for the final inning. One runner from Geneseo would score, but Kane would get a strikeout and finish off Geneseo in the seventh to give the Golden Bears their first win of their 2023 campaign, 6-3.

Inside The Diamond:

• Western New England was led by Baca, who went 2-3 with an RBI and scored a run.
• Kaleigh Blades also had a big game going 2-2 from the plate and scoring a run.
• DiBlasio earned three RBIs on the sixth-inning double that cemented WNE's 6-3 win.
• Megan Beebe earned her first win of the season with a five-strikeout performance facing 25 batters.
• The Golden Bears scored six runs on seven hits, giving up three runs on four hits.

Game 2: Western New England 7, Fredonia 3

Ava Blanchard took the mound for the Golden Bears in their second game of the day. Blanchard faced 23 batters in six innings pitched and allowed only six hits and no runs. Blanchard was helped out by the offense as well. Kailey Carrano got the runs started in the first inning when she singled, which brought Alex Ferriouolo to third at first, but after a throwing error, Ferriouolo made it home to put WNE up 1-0. Dina DiBlasio struck for the Golden Bears in the third inning. A single pushed Taylor Keegan to third base, but after an infield error, Keegan crossed home to push the lead to 2-0. 

The fourth inning was a big one for the Golden Bears. Alyssa Poisson scored on a wild pitch with no outs in the inning. After Fredonia got their first out of the inning, Kaleigh Blades smacked a single to center field and brought home Cori Rizzo. Ferriouolo would then hit a sacrifice fly ball to left field, which brought Blades home. Those three runs in the fourth gave the Golden Bears a commanding 5-0 lead. A double by Ferriouolo scored Blades again, and a Brianna Floyd single to right field, which scored Ferriouolo brought the score to 7-0. 

The bottom of the seventh saw Emilia Garcia take the mound. Alex Brizendine hit a sacrifice fly ball to right field, bringing Megan Guidry home. Allie Wandell then doubled, which brought home Isa Rizzo. Finally, Wandell would steal home for the final run of the game. Fredonia would try to steal third next, but Lizzie Weston threw the runner out at third to end the game. WNE won the game by a final score of 7-3.  

Around The Diamond:

• Western New England's Alex Ferriouolo went 3-4 with two RBIs and no strikeouts. Ferriouolo also crossed home twice for the Golden Bears.
• Kaleigh Blades continued the momentum from the first game and went 2-3 this game with one RBI. 
• Starting pitcher Ava Blanchard got her first win of the season, pitching six shutout innings and striking out eight batters. 
• Western New England scored seven runs on 12 hits and let up three runs on nine hits.

Up Next: The Golden Bears are back in action tomorrow, March 12, with another doubleheader. The day's first game is at 11:30 AM, as they play Carthage in Clermont, Florida. Then, they will play their second game at 2:00 PM at the same place against Belhaven.

Geneseo will take on New England College tomorrow, March 12, at 9:00 AM, before taking on Belhaven at 11:30 AM. Both of those games will be in Clermont, as well. Fredonia will take on Simpson College at 9:00 AM and Springfield College at 11:30 AM in Clermont.