Springfield, Mass. - April 23, 2022 - In a matchup between the two top teams in the conference, the Springfield College softball program dropped a pair of close games to Babson College, 1-0 and 3-2, in New England Women's And Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play on Saturday afternoon. 

The Pride now sit at 26-8 on the season and 11-3 in NEWMAC play. Babson, who was ranked No. 24 in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) national poll, is now 28-6 this yeat with a 12-2 NEWMAC record. 

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No. 24 Babson 4, Springfield 2 

Babson ripped two hits in the top of the third and loaded the bases after a single from Laboulier, Aguilar hit one on the ground to Breannah McCann (San Diego, Calif.), who made the heads up play to home for the tag to preserve the scoreless tie. Babson was able to take the first lead later in the top of the fifth as Laboulier doubled to left to clear the bases, but was caught in a run down. The Pride forced two-straight pop ups to close the inning. 

Springfield responded in the bottom of the frame as Katie Leacoma (Walpole, Mass.) singled to put two runners on for the Pride. With two outs, Mackenzie Doyle (Gloucester, R.I.) laid a single to center field to score both Leacoma and Puskas to tie the game.at 2-2. Babson loaded the bases in the top of the sixth with Harnick up, who got to first and a run scored after an error in the outfield allowed the visitors to take a 3-2 edge. The Beavers added another to its lead in the top of the seventh as Aguilar hit a lead off double to left, which later proved to be the run that put Babson ahead 4-2. The Pride attempted to rally in the seventh, but came up short, and dropped the first game against nationally-ranked Babson. 

No. 24 Babson 3, Springfield 2

Babson took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning as Lexi Morris knocked in an RBI single to left. The Pride picked up runs in the third and fourth inning to take a 2-1 lead after an RBI hit from Alli Olsen (Ridgewood, N.J.) in the third that tied the game, then, Ava Fernandez (Cedar Grove, N.J.) hit a lead off triple to the right field fence to help shift the momentum to the Pride. Callie Gendron (Berlin, Conn.) gave the Pride the lead at 2-1 with a single through the left side to bring in Fernandez at the next at bat. After scoring its first run in the first, the Beavers were held to just one hit through five innings as Emily Gell (Trumbull, Conn.) threw 4.2 innings and struck out three batters.

Babson put on two runs in the top of the sixth as the Beavers hit back-to-back singles with the bases loaded to take a 3-2 lead. The Pride again had a chance to tie in the seventh, but could not bring in a tying run.