Springfield, Mass. - April 13, 2016 - The Springfield College softball team picked up a pair of non-conference victories over cross-town rival Western New England University on Wednesday afternoon at Golden Bear Park.

With the win, Springfield College improve to 17-9 overall, while the Golden Bears fall to 13-11 on the season.

Up next, Springfield will return home on Friday, April 15 when it will host Clark University in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play at 3 p.m. on Potter Field.

Springfield 5, Western New England 1 -- Game One

The Pride posted four runs in the top of the eighth inning to break a 1-1 tie that was established in the third to take the first game of the doubleheader against Western New England, 5-1, at Golden Bear Park on Wednesday afternoon.

Senior Melissa Nelson (Milford, Conn.) continued her impressive play, as she was 1-for-4 in the contest with an RBI, while sophomore Kayla Padroff (Southington, Conn.) registered an RBI single in the top of the eighth to help the Pride to victory.

Sophomore Talia Loda (East Haven, Conn.) took the circle in game one, and continued her dominance as she pitched 8.0 innings, holding the Golden Bears to just five hits and one run while also fanning four. Her counterpart, Heidi Grieger (Hyde Park, N.Y.) was also effective for the hosts, as he pitched 8.0 innings, giving up just seven hits, but five runs including four in her final frame of work.

The Pride struck first in the top of the third inning when Nelson doubled to left to score Simone Morin (Plantsville, Conn.), who singled up the middle to lead off the inning.

After the Golden Bears evened the score in the bottom half of the inning, it took until the eighth for the Pride to break the tie, but back-to-back defensive mishaps for the Golden Bears allowed the Pride to take a two-run lead, before Sam Cox (Longmeadow, Mass.) scored on a wild pitch, and Padroff doubled to left center to plate Alicia Pavadore (Taunton, Mass.), capping the four-run frame.

Loda was able to keep the Western New England bats quiet in the bottom half, as she retired the side to seal the win for Springfield.

Springfield 3, Western New England 2 -- Game Two

Three runs in the top of the second inning proved to be the difference, as the Springfield College softball program was able to hold on for a 3-2 victory over the Golden Bears in the second leg of Wednesday's doubleheader at Golden Bear Park.

Junior Nicole Cring (Cooperstown, N.Y.) took the circle for the Pride, and pitched an effective 7.0 innings, giving up just three hits and two runs while striking out four.

Springfield's three run top of the second inning began with a single into right field from Cox, that scored Kirsten Drobiak (Griswold, Conn.) from third, before Rachel Ball (Coventry, R.I.) followed suit, singling into right to plate Mackenzie Navarro (Taunton, Mass.), giving the Pride a 2-0 lead. Next up, Carianna Gasdia (Wakefield, Mass.) flied out to left, but Cox would tag and score to push the Pride's third run across the plate.

The Golden Bears would rally for two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, but the Pride would close out the 3-2 win.