Springfield, Mass. - April 2, 2016 - The Springfield College softball team picked up a pair of impressive New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) victories over Emerson College on Saturday afternoon.

The Pride took the first game, 6-2, before defeating the Lions, 11-3, in six innings in the second leg of the doubleheader. With the wins, Springfield improves to 10-6 on the season, and 4-2 in the NEWMAC, while Emerson falls to 8-14 overall and 0-4 in league play.

Up next, Springfield will host Eastern Connecticut in non-conference action on Potter Field on Tuesday, April 5 at 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Springfield 6, Emerson 2 -- Game One

Sophomore infielder Kirsten Drobiak (Griswold, Conn.) and freshman infielder Sam Cox (Longmeadow, Mass.) each picked up a pair of RBI, as the Pride defeated Emerson 6-2 in the first of two games on Saturday.

In the circle, sophomore Talia Loda (East Haven, Conn.) was dominant as she pitched 5.0 innings, giving up just two hits while striking out six. Freshman Shelby Allen (Oakland, N.J.) came on in relief to pitch the final 2.0 frames, giving up just three hits and picking up one strikeout.

For Emerson, Samantha Corey (Londonderry, N.H.) pitched a complete game, giving up eight hits, six runs, two of which were earned, and picked up three strikeouts.

Springfield opened up a four-run lead in the bottom of the third inning, initiated when Mackenzie Navarro (Taunton, Mass.) drilled a single to third, before Melissa Nelson (Milford, Conn.) reached on an error from the left fielder. Next up, Jenna Webb (Harrison, N.Y.) was hit by a pitch, loading the bases, setting up a two-run double from Cox, followed by an RBI single from Alicia Pavadore (Taunton, Mass.), a play which Cox would come around on as well to make it 4-0, Springfield after three.

The Pride would tack on a pair more in the bottom of the fourth, when Nelson and Webb reached on back-to-back singles, before Drobiak crushed a two-run double off the right-center fence to score the pair and make it 6-0, Springfield.

Emerson would respond with a run in the top of the sixth inning, benefiting from an RBI-double off the bat of Jillian Gearin (Hermosa Beach, Calif.), scoring Kallista Leonardos (El Granada, Calif.), to cut the Lions' deficit to five.

In the top of the seventh, Emerson would add one more when Alena Jones (Woodinville, Mass.) singled to center, scoring Caroline Fortuna (Higganum, Conn.) to make it 6-2, Springfield. Allen would get the final three outs of the contest to seal the win for Springfield.

Springfield 11, Emerson 3 -- Game Two

The Pride posted seven runs through the first two frames, including a six-run bottom of the second to earn its second win of the day, 11-3 over Emerson at Potter Field on Saturday.

Drobiak had an impressive day at the dish, as she went 2-for-4, and picked up her first-career home run, a three-run shot over the centerfield fence in the bottom of the second. Additionally, Elizabeth Joseph (Stamford, Conn.) went 2-for-3 on the day, while Nelson went 2-for-4 and also picked up three RBI in the win.

In the circle, Nicole Cring (Cooperstown, N.Y.) got the nod and pitched 4.0 innings, giving up just five hits while striking out four. Jordyn Moquin (Plantsville, Conn.) came on to pitch the final 2.0 and she gave up two hits and picked up a strike to seal the win.

Emerson got on the board in the top of the first inning with a sacrifice fly from Kodie Cash (Big Bear City, Calif.), scoring Fortuna, before a lead-off triple from Navarro, and an RBI single from Webb evened the score at one apiece in the bottom half of the frame.

Cring would help herself in the bottom of the second, when she drove in Joseph with a single to right, before Nelson doubled to left, scoring Navarro and Cring to make it 4-1, Springfield. After a single from Webb, Drobiak drilled a ball over centerfield to certify a trip around the bags and push the Pride's lead to six.

Emerson would score runs in the top of the third and fifth to cut its deficit to four, but in the bottom of the sixth, a double from Moquin drove in Carianna Gasdia (Wakefield, Mass.), before Nelson drove in Moquin with a single. Next up, Webb reached on a fielder's choice, which allowed Navarro to score, before freshman Lindsey Ziegler (Queensbury, N.Y.) pinch hit and drove a ball to center, allowing Webb to tag up and score to push the Pride's lead to eight and end the game.