Springfield, Mass. - April 24, 2018 - The Springfield College softball team rallied late in game two, but fell short of Western New England, forcing a split between two non-conference opponents and cross-town rivals at Golden Bear Park on Tuesday afternoon.

Springfield College now possesses an overall record of 25-11, while the Golden Bears are now 20-16 on the year. 

The Pride will return to action on Wednesday, April 25 when it hits the road to take on Keene State at 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. 

Springfield College 1, Western New England 0 -- Game One

Senior pitcher Talia Loda (East Haven, Conn.) had a dominant performance in the circle, pitching a complete game while holding the Golden Bears to three hits while striking out eight on just 64 pitches. 

Sophomore Meghan Sastram (Oxford, Conn.) was 2-for-3 while Yaixsa Vargas (Waterbury, Conn.) had the Pride's lone RBI. Senior Kirsten Drobiak (Griswold, Conn.) reached first on an error before moving to second on a wild pitch, before Vargas singled up the middle to plate the lone run of the contest. 

From there, Loda locked in as she only gave up two more hits for the remainder of the game, while earning five of her eight total strikeouts in the last 5.0 innings of work.

Western New England 5, Springfield College 4 -- Game Two

Springfield College scored three runs in the top of the fifth and one more in the top of the sixth but the Pride's rally fell short, as Western New England was able to hang on for the 5-4 win to force a split.

Sastram continued her blistering day at the plate as she was 3-for-3 with one RBI and one run scored, while Allie Wheeler (Agawam, Mass.) produced a pair of hits in the setback.

Sophomore Marisa Valenti (Trumbull, Conn.) suffered her first loss of the season as she pitched 3.2 frames, giving up four hits and no earned runs, while also fanning six batters. Shelby Allen (Oakland, N.J.) came on in relief and only allowed three hits over the next 2.1 frames.

Western New England picked up two in the bottom of the third and three more in the bottom of the fourth, before Springfield College answered in the top of the fifth when Kayla Padroff (Southington, Conn.) singled to right, scoring Sastram and Alexyss Conley (Bloomingburg, N.Y.), before Carianna Gasdia (Wakefield, Mass.) doubled to right, scoring Padroff to make it 5-3, Golden Bears.

Wheeler singled to right field to lead off the sixth, before stealing second to put herself in scoring position. From there, Sastram singled up the middle to score Conley, pulling the Pride to within one. 

Needing one more in the top of the seventh, Western New England was able to pick up the final three outs to seal the win.