Springfield, Mass - April 24, 2015 -The Springfield College softball program dropped two non-conference decisions to Western New England on Friday afternoon at Potter Field. The Pride fell 5-4 and 7-5 and dropped to 16-19 overall on the season, while Western New England climbs to 26-7.

The Pride will wrap up the season on Monday April 27th with a non-conference matchup with Westfield State.  First pitch is at 3:30pm.

Western New England 5, Springfield 4 -- Game One

After Carianna Gasdia (Wakefield, Mass.) reached on an error and stole second, Jenna Webb (Harrison, N.Y.) roped a double down the right field line, scoring Gasdia, before Kirsten Drobiak (Jewett City, Conn.) singled to right, allowing  Jordyn Moquin (Southington, Conn.) to crack a double down the leftfield line to plate Drobiak.  Moquin crossed home plate to give the Pride an early 3-0 lead.

Western New England responded with two runs in the third fueled off a two-out Heather Fecteau (Biddeford, Maine) double to right center to score both base runners and close the gap to 3-2.

Melissa Nelson (Milford, Conn.) put the momentum back in favor as Springfield after the junior hit a laser over the left field wall to add an insurance run and put the score at 4-2 going into the fourth inning.

The Golden Bears would rally in the sixth inning, as an RBI double from Gabby Lavinio (Dalton, Mass.) made it a one-run game, before Grace Kucharski (Avon, Conn.) lined a single to center to score Lavinio from second to tie the game at 4-4. Mulhem would reach first safely later in the frame and score Clark, as Western New England would hold on for the 5-4 victory.

Loda surrendered seven hits and four runs, while Moquin suffered the loss in 1.2 innings pitched as she yielded a run on two hits. For the Golden Bears, Heidi Grieger (Hyde Park, N.Y.) claimed her twelfth victory on the season as the junior went the distance, only allowing four runs on nine hits.

Western New England 7, Springfield 5

Springfield was the first to score in game two in the bottom of the third, as Nelson doubled to right field, which was followed by a walk from Mackenzie Navarro (Taunton, Mass.). The next batter, Webb, drilled a double to left center to plate both base runners.  Drobiak continued the inning with a single to center to score Webb and put the Pride up 3-0.

In the Golden Bear's half of the fourth, Kucharski singled to center to get things going with one out, before Hill singled to eventually score Kucharski from third.  Clark knocked the ball into play to take the fielder's choice groundout, but pushed Lavinio across and put the score at 3-2.

In the fifth, Navarro walked and scored from a long single off the bat of Drobiak to add an insurance run for the Pride, but Western New England slowly chipped away its deficit in the sixth, as it added a run to put the game at 4-3.

Springfield attempted a comeback in the bottom of the seventh as Drobiak would ground into a double play after a run scored, but the Pride would fall short and suffer the 7-5 loss.

Nicole Cring (Cooperstown, N.Y.) pitched 2.2 innings and suffered the loss for Springfield after giving up five runs on just five hits.  Camdyn Morgillo (West Haven, Conn.) started the game, was relieved by Cring and then re-entered in the sixth, seeing a total of 4.1 innings permitting eight hits for two runs.

Lauren Zambrano (Wallingford, Conn.) pitched a solid seven innings to collect the win as the Pride collected nine runs on five hits.

Nelson led the offense attach for the Pride with three hits, and two runs score.  Drobiak had a multi-hit game with two runs batted in. Navarro, Webb, Brittany Lally (Hudson, Mass.) and Simone Morin (Plantsville, Conn.) all had hits for Springfield.