Springfield, Mass. – April 24, 2013 -Behind six home runs and a pair of one-hit shutout pitching performances, the Springfield College softball team swept visiting Westfield State at Potter Field on Wednesday afternoon in non-conference action. The Pride won the first game, 8-0, in six innings before cruising to a 8-0 five-inning decision.

The victory boosts Springfield’s record to 23-17, while the Owls drop to 7-26.

In the opener, Springfield crushed four home runs en route to the 8-0 win in just six innings. Jen Joseph earned the win, allowing just one hit and registering eight strikeouts, in four innings of work. Caisie Cadorette did not allow a hit in the final two frames. Chelsea Bender posted a pair of round trippers, while Kelly Blake added a pair of doubles.

Westfield States’ Breanne Bisceglia broke up Joseph’s no-hit bid in the fourth with a two-out single to short.

The Pride recorded five runs in the bottom of the first, highlighted by back-to-back shots by Breann Joyce and Bender. Bender would then lead off the third with a solo homer to left field, before Springfield added a run in the fourth as Jenna Webb plated Brielle Engelbrecht with a single.

Engelbrecht then completed the eight-run victory in the sixth inning by blasting a walk-off home run to center field.

The Pride used a Ashley Marino one-hit shutout and two home runs to power past the Owls in an 8-0 five-inning victory in the second contest. Marino struck out three to pick up the win in the circle, while Webb had three RBI and two hits and Blake added two RBI of her own.

Blake put Springfield up early in the bottom of the first, crushing a leadoff home run for the Pride, only to have Bender slap a run-scoring single to plate Webb later in the inning.

Springfield used a single from Blake to score Ally Rivelli, who roped a two-out triple in the second, before the Pride hung four runs in the fourth. With two outs, Melissa Nelson drove in Rivelli from second on a base knock, which was then followed by a towering three-run homer by Webb to right.

Brittany Lally led off the fifth with a walk, moved to third on an Elizabeth Joseph double, and crossed the plate on Rivelli’s second hit of the contest.

Courtney Begin had the Owls only hit in the nightcap, producing a leadoff single in the fourth. Emily Mailloux shouldered the loss after giving up seven earned runs off 11 hits.

The Pride will now prepare for the upcoming New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Championship, which will begin this Saturday. As the top-seed, Springfield will host the tournament, starting on Saturday with games at 12:00 and 2:00 pm.