DUDLEY, Mass. – The Nichols College softball team split an afternoon doubleheader with visiting Eastern Nazarene College in The Commonwealth Coast Conference action Saturday, pounding out 13 hits in a 10-2 victory before allowing an equal amount to the Crusaders in a 14-3 nightcap loss. First-year infielder Savannah Thibault (Marlboro, Mass.) led the Bison at the plate with a 3-for-5 effort including six RBI and her first career home run – a grand slam - in the first game.

Junior pitcher Lindsay Hassett (Oxford, Mass.) earned the complete-game win for Nichols in the first game, striking out eight while allowing two runs (one earned) on just three hits.

In game one, Nichols took advantage of a pair of first inning errors to plate two, but Eastern Nazarene got one back in the top of the third on an RBI single from Jacqueline Tierney.

The Bison exploded for seven runs on eight hits in the bottom of the frame, including four-straight singles and a walk before Thibault's grand slam.  Lauren Correia (Seekonk, Mass.) followed with a double, advanced on a single from Chelsea Correia (Seekonk, Mass.), and crossed for the inning's final run on a single by Lauren Lombardo (Wolcott, Conn.), who had led off the inning.

Hassett led off the fourth with a double and came across on Thibault's second run-scoring hit of the game for an 11-1 lead, but the Crusader's Laura Giberson hit her second home run of the season, a solo shot in the top of the fifth for the 10-2 score.

Hannah Moore took the loss, allowing seven runs (five earned) on seven hits while striking out one in two and a third innings. Rachel Sorensen came on in relief in the third and struck out one while allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits over the final one and two-thirds innings.

Game two saw the Crusaders hit through three Bison pitchers, scoring at least one run in every inning and clocking four home runs in the game. Senior pitcher Rebekah Sorensen held Nichols to one hit while striking out two through three innings before allowing three hits over her final two innings of work. Rachel Sorensen struck out one in the fifth to close out the game.

Three hits, including a pair of doubles, saw two Crusader runs come across in the first and Rebekah Sorenson hit the first home run of the game in the second to take a 3-0 lead. Eastern Nazarene got two aboard in the fourth on a pair of errors before an RBI single from Hanna Rauchfuss scored one and two came across on a double by Fernandes.

Rauchfuss tagged a two-run homer in the top of the fifth to cap another five-run inning before the Bison got two on the scoreboard in the bottom of the frame on singles by Kylie Langton (Medford, Mass.) and Thibault, making the score 11-2 in favor of the visitors.

Bethany Greenfield clocked a solo home run in the top of the fifth and Giberson followed with a double before Tierney nailed a two-run homer for a 14-2 advantage.

Nichols got one more across in the bottom of the frame as Rebekah Sorensen walked in a run.

Ashley Wyland (Schenectady, N.Y.) took the loss, allowing six runs (four earned) on six hits in the opening two innings. Molly Ferraro (Millis, Mass.) struck out two in two and a third innings of relief, giving up eight runs (seven earned) on seven hits. Kara Buckley (Nashua, N.H.) came in for the final two outs of the game, striking out one.

Greenfield led four Eastern Nazarene batters with multiple-hit days, batting 5-for-7 with an RBI and three runs scored. Tierney finished 4-for-7 with five RBI and three runs scored.

In addition to her win on the mound, Hassett went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored on the day, while Hebert finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

Nichols is back in action on Tuesday at Western New England College for a 3:30 p.m. TCCC doubleheader; the Bison's scheduled Sunday home doubleheader against Regis has been postponed to Thursday, April 2^nd. Eastern Nazarene hosts Salve Regina Friday, April 3 for a TCCC doubleheader at 4 p.m.

Game One Box
Game Two Box