DUDLEY, Mass. – Led by a pair of home runs from senior catcher Sara Migdal, the Worcester Polytechnic Institute softball team claimed a doubleheader sweep of Nichols College, 2-1 and 10-4. Migdal finished the day 4-for-6 at the plate with six RBI and a pair of runs scored to help the Engineers snap a five-game losing streak and improve to 9-16 on the season. Nichols dropped its fourth-straight to dip to 11-15 on the year.

Joining Migdal with a big day at the plate was classmate Jen Richards, who hit 4-for-7 with four runs scored and four RBI, all coming in game two, including three on a fifth-inning home run, her seventh on the year.

For Nichols, designated player Lindsay Hassett (Oxford, Mass.) was 3-for-7 with a pair of RBI, while Valeri Calcagni (Rocky Hill, Conn.) went 2-for-4 with a two-run double in game two as a pinch hitter.

The first game remained scoreless until Richards led off the fourth with a single and advanced on a wild pitch before crossing the plate on a Migdal single that got past the shortstop.

Junior Loren Rozanski (Plainville, Conn.) responded in the bottom of the frame with a leadoff home run, her second of the year, to knot the score.

Migdal notched the winning run in the top of the sixth with her second homer on the season, a long shot that sailed past the right centerfield fence.

Nichols threatened in the bottom of the seventh. With one out, runners reached on an error and a walk before advancing on Christina Hebert (Johnston, R.I.) groundout. WPI pitcher Allie Hardy  retired the final batter to earn the complete-game win.

Hardy improved to 6-4 on the year, striking out six while walking one and scattering four hits, three of which came in the first three innings. Molly Ferraro (Millis, Mass.) took the loss with eight strikeouts and seven hits allowed; she dips to 1-3 on the year.

Migdal and Richards combined for four of the Engineers' 11 hits and eight of 10 RBI in game two, with the pair getting things rolling in the opening frame for a 2-0 WPI lead after one.

With one out and Nicole Maglione aboard thanks to a walk, Richards doubled before Migdal hit a sac fly to left, scoring Maglione. Meg Foley  plated Richards with a single before Amanda Matori  grounded out to end the inning.

In the bottom of the frame, Hassett plated leadoff batter Samantha Hardigan (Brockton, Mass.), who reached on an error before advancing on a Shannon Weeks (Greenfield, Mass.) sac bunt.

The Engineers added another run in the second on an Allie Roche one-out home run, and held the Bison scoreless over the next four innings, while adding three more runs in the top of the fifth on a three-run shot from Richards.

Calcagni's two-out, two-run double in the bottom of the sixth allowed pinch runner Emily Pollock (Durham, Maine) and Hebert to come across the plate, making the score 6-3 in favor of the visitors, but WPI added four more in the seventh on an RBI single from Richards followed by a three-run homer from Migdal.

Hassett capped the scoring for the Bison in the bottom of the seventh with an RBI single, plating Ashley Robidoux (Milford, Mass.), who pinch hit for Hardigan. She reached on a single before advancing to second on an illegal pitch and to third on a Weeks groundout.

Lindsay Brown earned her first win on the year in her first complete-game effort, allowing four runs (one earned) on eight hits while striking out four. Nichols starter Ashley Wyland (Schenectady, N.Y.) took the loss allowing six runs on seven hits in 4.1 innings before giving way to Kara Buckley (Nashua, N.H.), who finished allowing four runs (three earned) on four hits while fanning one.

Nichols returns to The Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC) action on Saturday in a noon doubleheader at Curry. WPI hosts Clark Friday for a 3 p.m. New England Men's and Women's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) doubleheader. 

Game One Box
Game Two Box