Northampton, Mass. – April 15, 2011 – The Springfield College softball team scored eight runs in the first inning of the opener as the Pride swept a New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) doubleheader 12-3 and 9-0 in the Pioneers’ final home games of the season on Friday afternoon.

The Pride, who improved to 21-12 and 11-3 in the NEWMAC, got all the runs they would need in the first inning by sending 13 batters to the plate. Amanda Novak drove in Kasey Kelly with an RBI ground out and Breann Joyce made it 2-0 with an infield single. Another single from Melanie Scuderi and fielder’s choice by Jen Joseph loaded the bases, and Chelsea Bender smacked a grand slam to straight away centerfield that made it 6-0. Ally Rivelli drove in two more runs with a single to right.

After Joseph shut down the first six Smith batter, the Pioneers (1-27, 0-14 NEWMAC) got back in the game in the third inning. Kathryn Durkin walked to open the frame, and moved to second on a wild pitch. Catherine Tocci singled to left, and a passed balled moved both runners up. Salma Mehter hit a sharp infield single to bring home Durkin, and leadoff batter Sarah Goodman reached on a fielder’s choice to score Tocci. Chelsie Biluck and Kaitlyn O’Brien had back-to-back singles to load the bases, but Kirstie Beaton struck out and Tessa Clark grounded out to third to end the inning. Smith added a third one in the fourth when Durkin was hit by a pitch and scored on an error.

Springfield tacked on three runs in the fourth; Bender doubled to start the inning and Christina Leader singled. After Kelly hit a looping double to right center to score Bender, Leader scored on a wild pitch and Kelly Blake added a sacrifice fly. Rivelli made it 12-3 with an RBI single in the fifth.

Tessa Clark went the distance for Smith, notching one strikeout in five innings of work. Joseph struck out two in the circle for the Pride.

In game two, Smith was limited to one hit, as Pride starter Ashley Marino largely shut them down. Marino retired the first 12 batters she faced in order before O’Brien broke up the perfect game with a bloop single to left. The only other runner Marino allowed was a two out walk to Durkin in the fifth.

Springfield took a 2-0 lead as Kelly and Rivelli scored on illegal pitches in the first, and Blake, Novak, and Joyce all drove in runs in the second that made it 5-0. The Pride scored a run in the fifth and three in the sixth for the final margin.

Marino finished with 11 strikeouts in twirling a one hit shutout. Kayla Kiers went the first five and two-thirds innings, striking out four, and Abagael Shrader pitched the final one-third.