Worcester, Mass.-April 10, 2015- The Springfield College softball team cruised past Clark University 9-0 in five innings in the opener before posting a 7-1 in a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference double header on Friday afternoon.

The Pride move to 9-13 on the season, with a 7-3 standing in conference play.  The Cougars dropped to 2-14 overall, 0-6 in the NEWMAC.  Springfield will return to play on Saturday when it travels to take on Babson in an important NEWMAC matchup.  Game times are slated at 12:00pm and 2:00pm

Springfield 9, Clark 0 (5 innings)

Melissa Nelson (Milford, Conn.) sparked the offense with a leadoff walk in the first.  Talia Loda (East Haven, Conn.) dropped down a successful sacrifice bunt to third base, which allowed Nelson to advance to second.  The junior moved to third base on a passed ball, which allowed her to motor home on a wild pitch.

In the top part of the second Brianna Weltlich (Southampton, Mass.) earned a base on balls to start the inning.  After Jordyn Moquin (Southington, Conn.) reached base on an error, Alicia Pavadore (Taunton, Mass.) singled to right to load the bases for Nelson.  The captain came through in the clutch with a single to knock in two runs.  After an inning and a half the Pride led 3-0 and did not look back.

Springfield would conclude its scoring in the game with a six-run rally in the top of the fourth inning.  Pavadore ripped a double to left field to lead-off the inning and Olivia Gonzalez (East Hartford, Conn.) lined a single to put runners on the corner.  After Gonzalez stole second base, Liz Finelli (North Kingstown, R.I.) hit the ball through the right side of the infield to score Pavadore.  Loda then knocked the ball into play, taking an RBI ground out to second base, and with one out, Jenna Webb (Harrison, N.Y.) came on to rope a double to left field, which scored Finelli. 

After a wild pitch which allowed Webb to move to third, Kirsten Drobiak (Jewett City, Conn.) singled to left field to score the junior.  The next batter up, Weltlich, singled to right field and after Moquin stepped up, she drifted a fly out to right field, which allowed Drobiak to hustle in from third. Pavadore reached on an error with two outs, permitting all the baserunners to be safe and Weltlich to score to put the game at 9-0.

Melanie Dusseault took the loss for Clark, as she allowed twelve hits and nine runs in five innings pitched.

Loda collected the win for the Pride as she pitched a solid four innings, only surrendering a hit in her outing.  The freshman moves to 4-2 on the year.

Pavadore and Webb had two hits apiece for Springfield.  Pavadore scored a run, while Webb added a run scored and a run driven in.

Springfield 7, Clark 1

Polana got the scoring going in game two, as she led off the second inning with a triple to right center.  Pavadore aired out a long sacrifice fly to allow Polana to score from third.

Webb started off the third inning with a single, advancing to second on a throwing error and Drobiak later doubled to left center to push Webb across the plate. 

Clarks lone run of the afternoon came in the bottom half of the third.  After a fielder's choice and wild pitch put Hayley Buckheit (Camden, Maine) on second base, Dusseault singled to put runners on the corners.  Alyssa Wright (Manchester, N.H.) stepped up and knocked the ball into play, which allowed Buckheit to score from third.  The score remained in Springfield's favor 2-1.

In the top of the fourth, Pavadore started a four run rally with a walk.  Gonzalez laid down a bunt single, and  Nelson kept the inning moving with an RBI double down the left field line.  Carianna Gasdia (Wakefield, Mass.) laid down the second bunt single of the inning, which advanced Nelson to third and put Gonzalez on home plate.  Gasdia stole second, and Webb singled to right center to score Nelson.  Drobiak tacked on another run with an RBI fielder's choice. 

With the score at 6-1 to start the sixth inning, Webb would tally the game's final run.  After back to back singles, Webb found herself on third.  Morin was able to put the ball, reaching on an error, which allowed Webb to cross the plate.

Camdyn Morgillo (West Haven, Conn.) collected her second win of the season, pitching a one hit, one run, three inning performance.  Buckheit dropped the decision as she surrendered six runs on eight hits.

Nelson and Webb had three hit performances for the Pride.  Gasdia, Drobiak, Polana, Brielle Engelbrecht (Granby, Mass.) and Gonzalez all pitched in with hits.