Walk-off win propels host Nor'easters to sweep

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- The University of New England softball team plated three runs in the bottom of the 7th to take the opener of its Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) doubleheader against Salve Regina University, 4-3, before overcoming an early deficit to notch a 6-3 victory later on Saturday afternoon (Apr. 13) at Claude Dubois Field.

It was the first meeting between the teams since last season's conference championship final, when the Nor'easters defeated the top-seeded Seahawks to advance to the NCAA Championship. UNE now moves to 15-12-1 overall and 7-5 in league games, while Salve Regina (16-14, 8-4 CCC) fell for the fifth straight outing.

Big Blue trailed 3-1 entering its last at-bat in game one, but got a lead-off double to left from junior Amanda Vaudreuil (Windham, N.H.) to start things the rally. Sophomore Adrienne Chase (Holden, Mass.) followed by taking the second pitch she saw over the fence in left to make it 3-3.

An infield error allowed UNE to get a runner at first, and a sacrifice bunt moved senior pinch runner Casey Brigham (New London, Conn.) to second. Brigham could not move forward on a groundout to the shortstop on the next play, but another infield error left runners at the corners with two down. The delivery to the plate on the second pitch to the ensuing batter bounced to the backstop, and Brigham used the opening to dive-in safely with the winning run.

Salve Regina had scored one run in the 1st, 2nd, and 6th innings to take a 3-0 cushion, prior to UNE getting one back in the bottom of the 6th on a sacrifice fly by first-year Meghan Bolano (Wakefield, R.I.), which scored senior Megan Gauger (South Paris, Maine).

Vaudreuil went 4-for-4 in the game, and both Chase as well as first-year Amanda Vallante (Dracut, Mass.) added two hits to Big Blue's total of 10 registered off SRU senior pitcher Jen Cruver (North Haven, Conn.). Rookie pitcher Abby Lambert (Brockton, Mass.) struck out three to record her sixth win on the year for UNE.

The Seahawks received three hits from junior Marissa Simpson (Brimfield, Mass.), and two apiece from senior Ali Muehlbronner (Glenside, Pa.), junior Sara Nelson (Bristol, Conn.), and sophomore Lauren Nicholson (Cape Elizabeth, Maine). Muehlbronner accounted for two of her team's three runs.

The two sides combined to strand 23 runners on base in the initial contest of the day.

Salve Regina began game two with a pair of scores in the top of the 1st. A walk by Muehlbronner preceded two strikeouts from UNE first-year starter Lauren Doneski (Waltham, Mass.), but SRU senior Jillian Quintana (Denver, Colo.) kept the inning alive with a single through the left side. Classmate Megan Jakiela (Meriden, Conn.) then drove in both runners on a double to right-center.

The Seahawks left three aboard in the 2nd, and the Nor'easters leveled things in the bottom of the frame, courtesy of an RBI-double to right-center by junior Ali Stanley (Rochester, N.H.) and a sacrifice fly from Brigham. Gauger and Vallante scored the runs for the home side, after reaching with hits earlier in the inning.

A pair of two-out singles did not amount to anything for Salve in the 3rd, and, once again, UNE took the momentum gained from getting out of a jam to fuel the offense. With senior Erin Grover (Biddeford, Maine) and Chase occupying second and third (after hits) with two outs, Gauger sent both home to score on a single to right.

SRU sliced the deficit in half (4-3) with one in the 5th. Quintana got her second hit of the game with a lead-off double to left-center, and later scored for the second time as Nicholson hit safely to left.

The one-run margin did not last long, however, as Big Blue came right back in the last half of the 5th to tack on two more and increase the lead to 6-3. Gauger laced her third hit of the contest to right-center with two out, and scored again, along with Chase, when Vallante chalked up her fifth hit of the day on a double to the fence in left-center. UNE threatened to grow its advantage even more by loading the bases behind Vallante, but could not push any more runs across.

UNE first-year Chelsea Damon (Scarborough, Maine) -- who had entered in relief of Doneski during the 2nd -- retired six of the last seven batters she faced (against one walk allowed) to seal the deal for the hosts. In 5 2/3 innings of work, she fanned four and surrendered six hits to improve to 3-5.

Cruver and first-year Dominique Burnham (Scarborough, Maine) split time in the circle for the Seahawks, with Cruver taking the loss (16-12).

The Nor'easters are back at it Sunday (12 p.m.) with a home twinbill against the second-place squad in the current league standings (11-1), Roger Williams University.

Salve Regina returns to Rhode Island to face Wentworth Institute of Technology at the same time.