Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 WORCESTER, Mass. (April 18) -- Katie Bumila had a walk-off RBI single in the opener and Lauren DiFelice went 3-for-4 with 3 RBI in the second game to lead WPI to wins of 2-1 and 11-3 over visiting Nichols in a non-conference softball doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon. WPI is now 24-12 on the season while Nichols drops to 12-18 overall.

In game one, the Engineers got on the board in the bottom of the first when Bumila walked, stole second, and scored on a DiFelice single up the middle to give WPI a 1-0 lead. That was still the score in the top of the fourth when Nichols' Chelsea Correia homered over the left field fence, a solo shot that tied the game for the Bison.

In the top of the fifth, the Bison seemed poised to take the lead placing runners at second and third with no outs. But Allie Hardy proved up to the challenge, striking out the next two batters and closing out the inning with a ground out to keep the score deadlocked at 1-1.

Nichols got out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth, but in the bottom of the seventh, Juliana Fekete doubled and scored the winning run on Bumila's poke up the middle.  Hardy (6-7) was dominant for the hosts, giving up only one run in seven innings, scattering a mere four hits and striking out eight, all without giving up a walk. Molly Ferraro was nearly as solid, surrendering only two runs while striking out five.  The right hander sees her record slip to 9-10 on the season.
Game two featured WPI scoring its first run on an error with DeFelice crossing home plate in the bottom of the second.

Nichols tied the game in the top of the fourth off an RBI single by Emalee Watkins to send Lauren Correia home with the score 1-1. But in the bottom of the fourth, the Engineer lineup exploded for seven runs, with an RBI single by Amanda Pierce, a two-run single by Fekete, Bumila doubling home Fekete and later scoring on an error herself and finally DeFelice and Ali LaRue both driving in runs on base hits to put WPI up 8-1.

Nichols got two runs back in the top of the sixth with Chelsea Correia again doing the damage with a two-run double. WPI would answer in the bottom of the inning when DiFelice went yard to left center with a runner on, and the Engineers would take a 10-3 lead. Four batters later, the Bison would give up a bases-loaded walk to Allie Roche, giving WPI an eight-run lead and ending the game.

Erin Flaherty struck out ten Bison, giving up just two earned runs on six hits. The senior is now 11-3 on the season.  Fekete, Bumila, Pierce and Nicole McDonough were each credited with two hits and a run scored. In total, WPI parlayed six errors into six unearned runs. 

Watkins led also Nichols players in the nightcap with two hits.  Starter Tyler Ferrazzi shouldered the loss for the visitors and is 1-7 this spring.

WPI will wrap up their regular season with a doubleheader at MIT on Saturday, April 21st. Nichols will host two Commonwealth Coast Conference games against Eastern Nazarene, also on Saturday. 

Story courtesy WPI Sports Information

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score