Cambridge, Mass. - April 16, 2022 - The Springfield College softball program downed MIT in its opener, 3-2, before finishing off the sweep of the Engineers with a 6-4 victory on Saturday afternoon in New England Women's and Men's Atheltic Conference (NEWMAC) play.

With the win the Pride now boast a 25-5 record, which is its best start in program history through 30 games. MIT, who was ranked No. 24 in the latest NFCA poll, drops to 16-11. 

Springfield 3, No. 24 MIT 2

The Pride kicked off the first inning with 1-0 lead after Kristen Acocella (Redding, Conn.) landed a double to left to score Mackenzie Doyle (Gloucester, R.I.), who had singled to lead off the game. MIT tied up the game in the bottom of the third with a three-hit effort as three-straight base hits in the middle of the inning helped score Samuelsen. With runners on first and second, Ava Fernandez (Cedar Grove, N.J.) helped produce the go ahead run as a result of an error at second that brought in Acocella to score. Lucy Puskas (Roxbury, Conn.) helped at to the lead at the next at bat to put Springfield ahead 3-1 with a sacrifice fly to left to make the score 3-1. 

MIT had a chance to tie the game after Samuelsen singled to left to bring in a run at 3-2. With the tying run on third, Gillian Kane (New Canaan, Conn.) forced the Engineers batters into consecutive outs. 

Springfield 6, No. 24 MIT 4

The Pride fell behind 4-1 after the third inning to the Engineers in the second game as Spiegel punched a triple to score two runs for MIT.

Springfield began its rally in the top of the fourth to try and close the gap on MIT starting with a single from Fernandez, which led to five-straight batters getting on base for Springfield. Doyle hit the ball in play with the bases loaded to generate a run for Springfield, before Alli Olsen (Ridgewood, N.J.) laid down a bunt and brought in Katie Leacoma (Walpole, Mass.) to make it a one run game at 4-3. Springfield continued to hunt for the lead in the fifth as Maggie Britt (Bridgeport, Conn.) tied the game with a RBI single to the pitcher, before a single to center field by Doyle scored a pair and gave Springfield the lead at 6-4. Emily Gell (Trumbull, Conn.) allowed just one hit in the final two innings to hold off the nationally-ranked Engineers and help the Pride close out the win.