DiBlasio Hits Fourth Homer in Western New England’s Split at Curry

Golden Bears score seven early runs in 9-4 game one win

MILTON, Mass. (April 14, 2019) – The Western New England University softball team split a pair of games with Curry College on Sunday afternoon in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) action at D. Forbes Will Field. The Golden Bears rolled to a 9-4 win in the opener, before falling 3-1 in game two.

Western New England 9, Curry 4

Top Performers
Junior Aimee Kistner (Taunton, Mass.) and freshman Jamie Cookingham (Warner, N.H.) had two hits each for Western New England, while freshman Dina DiBlasio (Norwalk, Conn.) homered and drove in three runs.

Junior Paige Uliase (Meriden, Conn.) picked up the win in the circle after limiting the Colonels to two runs over 5.1 innings.

Curry freshman Liana Duarte (Taunton, Mass.) posted a 3-for-4 effort with a double and one RBI out of the leadoff spot in the Colonels batting order, while junior Caroline Johnson (Milton, Mass.) and sophomore Jocelyn Dimond (Weare, N.H.) finished with two hits and one RBI apiece.

Game Review
The Western New England offense provided Uliase with early run support, as the Golden Bears put four runs on the board in the top of the first inning. Sophomore Emily Cooney (Berlin, Conn.) led off with a walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and moved up to third on a Curry error before stealing home to open the scoring. With two runners on base and no outs later in the frame, DiBlasio blasted a three-run home run over the left field fence to increase Western New England's lead to 4-0.

The Golden Bears added to their advantage with three more runs in the second inning, as Cookingham recorded a sacrifice fly and DiBlasio and Kistner both scored when Uliase reached on another Curry error.

An RBI double by Dimond in the bottom of the third got the Colonels on the board, but Western New England benefitted from Curry's fifth error of the contest in the top of the fifth to bring in two more runs.

The home team scored twice in the bottom of the fifth and once in the seventh, but it wasn't enough as the Golden Bears held on for a comfortable five-run victory.

Curry 3, Western New England 1

Top Performers
Junior Sydney Pounds (Milford, Mass.) accounted for two of Western New England's three hits in game two, while sophomore Allie Buzzeo (Stamford, Conn.) singled and scored a run.

Dimond again led the Colonels, going 2-for-3 at the plate with one RBI. Juniors Molly Horn (Buzzards Bay, Mass.) and Michaela Colleran (East Bridgewater, Mass.) tallied two hits each, while sophomore Carrigan Costello (Wolcott, Conn.) tossed a complete game in the circle, allowing one run on three hits with three strikeouts.

Game Review
After two scoreless frames, Western New England struck first with a run in the bottom of the third. Buzzeo got it started with a leadoff single to left field, before moving up to second base on a sacrifice by senior Giovanna Russo (East Haven, Conn.). After Cooney walked, Pounds singled to load the bases, and Kistner followed with an RBI groundout.

Curry took the lead, however, with three runs on three hits and two errors in the bottom of the fourth. The Colonels loaded the bases and freshman Julia Price (Islip, N.Y.) reached on an error that allowed Colleran to score from third. Duarte then drove in another run with a bases loaded walk, and Dimond capped the scoring in the frame with an RBI single to center field.

The Golden Bears were unable to get anything going offensively the rest of the way, as Costello retired the side in order in each of the last three innings.  

Up Next
Both teams will be back in action on Wednesday, as Western New England (15-11, 5-5 CCC) hosts Nichols and Curry (11-20, 1-11 CCC) travels to Wentworth.