Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 DUDLEY, Mass. (April 18) – The Nichols College softball team split a non-conference doubleheader with visiting Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) Monday afternoon. Nichols edged out the Engineers, 6-5, in the opener before WPI's Christa Coscia earned her first shutout of the season with a two-hit performance in a 10-0 (5 inning) victory. Nichols stands at 18-13 on the year, while WPI moves to 18-17.

The Bison led, 4-0, after two in the opener before WPI rallied to take a one-run lead in the top of the fifth. Savannah Thibault (Marlborough, Mass.) drew a one-out, bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the sixth to knot the game. After a play at the plate kept the game tied, Mary Kate Frodema (Springfield, Mass.) took a pitch to the thigh with the bases loaded to send the winning run across with two outs. A groundout to first ended the inning with three runners aboard. Thibault finished the game 1-for-2 with a walk and a pair of RBI.

Nicole McDonough drew a walk to lead off the seventh and advanced to second on a Juliana Fekete  single. After a strikeout, Katherine Fitton flew out to left, sending McDonough to cross home plate, however she was deemed to have left second base early, ending the game. Fitton was 2-for-4 with an RBI in the game, while Lauren DeFelice drove in a pair of runs, and briefly gave the Engineers the lead in the fifth with a sac fly.

The Bison's Molly Ferraro (Millis, Mass.) earned her ninth win of the season, scattering six hits and allowing five runs (four earned) while striking out six. Erin Flaherty (Stoughton, Mass.) took the loss in four innings of relief, allowing two runs on two hits while striking out three and walking two. Allie Hardy started the game, allowing four runs (two earned) on five hits and struck out one.

WPI wasted little time getting on the board in the nightcap, scoring three runs in the first, five in the second and two in the third to hold a commanding 10-0 lead. The top three spots of the Engineers' lineup was red hot, finishing a combined 5-for-8 with seven runs scored and three RBI. Not to be outdone, Allie Roche was 2-for-2 with a solo home run and a stolen base from the nine-hole.

Coscia gave up one hit in the first inning and allowed two Bison baserunners in the fourth, but faced only 17 batters in the game. She allowed two hits – both to Emalee Watkins (Malden, Mass.) – while striking out four and walking none. Watkins turned two double plays for the Bison, one of which ended the third inning.

The Engineers led off the first with three consecutive singles, plating the final run on a sac fly from Kim Martilla. In the second, WPI scored five runs on four hits and an error, plating a pair courtesy of a DiFelice single. Back-to-back solo homeruns from Roche and McDonough in the third capped the scoring.

Nichols pitcher Kara Buckley (Nashua, N.H.) took the loss with 10 runs on 10 hits, four walks and two strikeouts – both of which ended innings.

The Bison return to action on Wednesday in a 3 p.m. The Commonwealth Coast Conference doubleheader at Western New England. WPI travels to Worcester State on Wednesday for a 5 p.m. non-conference twinbill.

Game One Box Score

Game Two Box Score