BOSTON, Mass. – Senior Samantha Mulhern (Worcester, Mass.) went 6-for-8 with three home runs, seven RBI, and a pair of stolen bases, as Western New England swept the Wentworth Institute of Technology softball team in a Commonwealth Coast Conference doubleheader Sunday afternoon at Carr Diamond. The Golden Bears took the first game 10-2 and captured the second contest 6-0.
Winner of three straight, Western New England improves to 22-7 overall and 14-2 in CCC play while the Leopards conclude the 2015 campaign with a 4-22 (0-16) slate.
After a scoreless first inning in the opening game, the Golden Bears put up five runs off two hits including a three-run home run to left center by Mulhern to make it 5-0 for the visitors. The Leopards got on the board in the bottom of the second. A single to right by junior Karsyn Sawyer (Chatham, N.Y.) set her up to be knocked in by freshman Haley Sabino (Topsfield, Mass.) with a groundout.
Western New England scored another run in the third thanks to a sacrifice fly by sophomore Gabby Lavinio (Dalton, Mass.). The Golden Bears added a pair in the fifth with back-to-back doubles by junior McKenzie Pezze (Albany, N.Y.) and Lavinio. A double to center field by sophomore Carianna DeLisi (Tuxedo, N.Y.) knocked in her team's eighth run. A pair of RBI singles by senior Jocelyn Agnelli (Winchendon, Mass.) and DeLisi in the top of the sixth gave the Golden Bears a 10-1 lead. The Leopards added a run in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single from junior Heather Pinkston (Concord, Calif.).
Junior Heidi Grieger (Hyde Park, N.Y.) picked up the win in her four innings of work, allowing four hits and no earned runs. Junior Heather Pinkston (Concord, Calif.) got the loss, as she pitched five innings and gave up eight earned runs off eight hits.
Four players – including Mulhern – had two hits for Western New England while Sawyer was 3-for-3 and Weymouth was 2-for-2 for the Leopards.
In game two, the Golden Bears jumped on top in the top of the third thanks to a solo home run to left by Hulhern. Western New England tacked on four runs in the next inning, with Mulhern smashing a three-run home run to deep center field. A RBI double by junior Alexis Bukowski (Wallingford, Conn.) made it 5-0 Golden Bears.
The visitors added an additional run in the top of the sixth thanks to a Bukowski RBI groundout to shortstop. The Leopards got seven hits but left seven on base, as Western New England took the second game 6-0.
Senior Lauren Zambrano (Wallingford, Conn.) earned the win by going five innings and giving up three hits while striking out 11. Junior Siobhan Baker (South Portland, Maine) got the loss, as she went four innings giving up five earned runs.
Mulhern was 4-for-4 with four RBI – all by way of home runs. Weymouth and senior Sam Curran (Quincy, Mass.) had two each for the Leopards.
