WORCESTER, Mass. (4/16/2024) – The Nichols College softball team took a break from conference play on Tuesday afternoon, picking up a two-game sweep over Clark University by scores of 4-0 and 9-2 at O'Brien Softball Field.

Nichols improves to 15-11 (7-3 CCC) with the sweep, while Clark falls to 5-19 (0-8 NEWMAC).

Sophomore infielder Ava Slavinsky hit a team-best .625 on the day, going 5-for-8 at the plate and scoring three times. Fellow sophomore Allie Silliman was 3-for-8 (.375) with one RBI, while freshman Sydney Manzione had a career outing with two hits, including a triple, and three RBI. Junior Erin Gour hit the only long ball of the day for the Bison, securing her fifth homer this season.

Game #1 Nichols 4 Clark 0

Nichols grabbed the early 1-0 lead in the top of the first thanks to an RBI single up the middle by Silliman, scoring Slavinsky from third. From there, it was a defensive game for the Bison, who went on to retire 15 consecutive Clark batters to maintain their 1-0 lead.

The bats started swinging again for both sides in the sixth inning, but neither team would plate a run as a result. However, in the top of the seventh, the Bison forced the Cougars into a tighter position, scoring three runs to expand their lead to 4-0. Nichols' first three hitters reached on Clark errors to load the bases, before Slavinsky plated the second run with an RBI single, once again to center field. Kyla Felicani followed with an RBI single to left that scored Bailey Littlefield, before Chloe Steiniger wrapped it up with an RBI sac-fly to right.

Sophomore Olivia Pedro (4-5) tossed a complete game shutout in the circle for the Bison, striking out three with only one hit allowed.

Game #2 Nichols 9 Clark 2

Gour got the Bison on the board in the first inning, coming to the plate with a runner at second and one out to deliver her fifth homer of the season, giving Nichols a 2-0 lead. Clark answered in the bottom of the second with a two-out RBI single to right field, which cut the lead in half at 2-1.  

Nichols added another run in the top of the second inning to go up 3-1. After senior Mackenzie Jackson opened the inning with a leadoff double up the middle, junior outfielder Emily Iannuccilli sent her home with an RBI base hit through the right side.

After Clark scored again in the home half of the third, the Bison returned fire with a run in the top of the fifth, which came off the bat of Manzione via her first collegiate triple.

Nichols then strung together a five-run top of the seventh after loading the bases. Manzione delivered two of the runners with an infield single to start the scoring, before a third run scored following a fielding error by the Cougars. Sophomore Riley Chartier also plated a run with an infield ground out, while Jackson crossed home plate on a wild pitch, finalizing the 9-2 score.  

Freshman Cassidy Machado (3-2) secured her third straight win for Nichols with one strikeout and two runs (one earned) allowed on five hits. Junior Chelsea Indyk earned the save, her second of the season, after relieving the final 2.2 innings.

Softball will be back at home tomorrow, April 17^th for another non-conference twin bill against Dean College (0-18, 0-8 GNAC), beginning at 2:30 PM.