Norton, Mass. – March 20, 2011 – The Springfield College softball team opened up New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play on Sunday afternoon by earning a split with Wheaton College at Clark Field. The Lyons prevailed 3-1 in the opener, before the Pride cruised to a 12-0 win in five innings in the second contest.

Springfield now stands at 7-5, 1-1 in league play, while the Lyons improved to 9-6, 1-1.

Liz Milly’s RBI single in the first inning of the opening game allowed Springfield to take an early 1-0 lead. However, Wheaton took the lead for good in the bottom of the second after Megan Roy cracked a two-run shot over the centerfield fence. The Lyons added an insurance run in the third on a Katy Salka RBI single up the middle.

Ashley Marino was charged the loss as she scattered six hits while allowing three earned runs. Alison Baker limited the Pride to just five hits and allowed one unearned run to pick up the win in the circle. Amanda Novak totaled two hits in the loss for Springfield.

In the second contest, Jen Joseph hurled a two-hitter and benefited from Springfield pounding out 12 hits which turned into 12 runs. The Pride plated three runs in both the first and second inning before scoring once in the fourth and five times in the fifth to complete the mercy-rule victory.

Novak blasted a two-run homer in the first before Blake bombed a two-run home run in the second as Springfield opened up a comfortable 6-0 lead. Springfield used the long-ball to score once again in the third after Tess Gagliano blasted a solo shot, setting up the five-run fifth. The Pride put together four separate RBI singles in the frame as it earned the split.

Kasey Kelly, Blake, Novak, Breann Joyce, and Kelsey Dunn each recorded two hits in the win, with Blake crossing the plate three times. Baker lasted just two innings for Wheaton as she shouldered the loss, surrendering six earned runs off seven hits.

Springfield will now prepare for a key conference doubleheader on Friday afternoon when it hosts defending champion Coast Guard starting at 2:30 pm.