Springfield, Mass. – April 13, 2012 – Kelly Blake recorded five doubles on the day to pace the Springfield College softball team to a pair of five innings wins of over visiting Smith College in New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action. Springfield took the opener 12-2 before cruising to an 8-0 win in the second.

The wins boost the Pride’s record to 17-10, 8-2 in league play, while the Pioneers drop to 4-18, 1-7.

In game #1, sophomore right-hander Ashley Marino (Harrison, N.Y.) was credited with the victory and is now 8-5. She gave up two runs on five hits, struck out three and walked no one in four innings. Freshman Caisie Cadorette (Dartmouth, Mass.) pitched the final inning for the Pride, giving up one hit and no runs.

The starter and loser for the Pioneers was sophomore Kayla Kiers (West Warwick, R.I.). She allowed four runs on four hits. Junior Tessa Clark (Calais, Me.) gave up the remaining eight runs.

In the second inning, SC scored twice on a 2-RBI single by Gagliano, a senior third baseman from Atlantic Highlands N.J. That was later followed by a two-run double by sophomore Christina Leader (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.)

In the third inning, SC tallied twice on an RBI-single by junior Chelsea Bender (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) and on a sacrifice fly to center by Gagliano.

Smith countered that with two runs of its own in the fourth. Sophomore center-fielder Catherine Tocci (Belmont, Mass.) singled in one run. while junior first baseman Brittany Purington (Weare, N.H.) knocked home another.

In the last of the fourth, SC scored six times. Senior second baseman Kasey Kelly (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) knocked home one run with a single to center. Junior shortstop Kelly Blake (Watertown, Conn.) doubled to left-center, knocking in two more. Gagliano capped the inning by doubling home the final two runs.

The Pride had 13 hits in game #1.

In game #2, SC scored two runs in the second, five in the fourth, and the final run in the fifth inning. SC’s Blake finished the day going 6-for-6 with five doubles.

Leader doubled to left-center to score two runs for get SC going. in the second.

In the fourth, SC took advantage of four hits and two Smith errors. Blake knocked in two runs, and freshman catcher Caitie Holik (South Windsor, Conn.) singled in another.

In the fifth, the final run was scored on a single to third base by Blake, who had three RBI in game #2. Sophomore Jen Joseph (Stamford, Conn.) went the distance to get the win. She s now 8-3, and gave up only five hits. As was the case in game #1, Kiers took the loss and is now 4-13.

The Pride will play again on Saturday when it travels for an important league clash with Babson starting at 12:00 pm.