Cambridge, Mass. – April 13, 2024 – Behind a pair of outstanding pitching performances from Amelia DeRosa (Miller Place, N.Y.) and Ashley Pugliese (Long Island, N.Y.), the Springfield College softball team swept a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) doubleheader over No. 25 MIT on Saturday afternoon on Briggs Field.

Springfield was the first team to sweep a pair of regular season games from MIT since 2022 when Babson defeated the Engineers twice on April 29, however Springfield is the lone team to win twice on the same day during the regular season at Briggs Field since 2018. The Pride accomplished the feat this season and in 2022, but prior to that Tufts swept MIT on Briggs Field in 2018.

Springfield is now 18-3-1 overall and 7-1 in NEWMAC play, while No. 25 MIT dropped to 12-6, 2-4.

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Game One: Springfield 4, MIT 2

Springfield's offense was powered by Carissa Pecchia (Mamaroneck, N.Y.), who went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run in the opener. DeRosa also went 2-for-4 with a run and RBI in addition to her performance in the circle as she scattered five hits, allowed two runs (all in the first inning) and struck out two to improve to 9-2.

An RBI double to center by Pecchia in the top of the first plated DeRosa, who began the inning by reaching on an error. MIT answered quickly in the bottom of the frame and took a 2-1 edge when Mackenzie Bivin lined a two-run homer over the fence in left.

Springfield added single runs in the second, third and fourth innings and left the rest to DeRosa in the circle. DeRosa plated Lucy Puskas (Roxbury, Conn.) on a double to right in the second, Michaela Ponticello (Gloversville, N.Y.) grounded out allowing Pecchia to score in the third and Pecchia plated Alli Olsen (Ridgewood, N.J.) on a single to left in the fourth.

Over the final six innings, DeRosa sat MIT down in order four times and only allowed two batters to reach and none to advance past second base.

Game Two: Springfield 5, MIT 1


In game two, DeRosa went 2-for-5 with two RBI and a run, Emily Whelan (Hopkinton, Mass.) went 3-for-5 and Callie Gendron (Berlin, Conn.) went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run. Pugliese improved to 7-1 in the circle for the Pride as she scattered five hits, allowed one run (in the first inning) and struck out one.

The Engineers put together a single run in the first before Pugliese shutdown their bats the rest of the way. Pugliese allowed just four singles over the final six frames and never allowed a baserunner to advance past second base.

Springfield quickly answered MIT's run in the first with a two-spot in the top of the second. Puskas reached on an error and scored on an RBI double to left by DeRosa before Gendron plated DeRosa on a single of her own.

The game remained 2-1 in favor of Springfield until the sixth when Puskas began the frame by getting hit by a pitch. She advanced to third on a double by DeRosa and scored on an error. Springfield then added two insurance runs in the fifth on an RBI knock by Emilia Santiago (West Hartford, Conn.) and a groundout by DeRosa.

Pugliese returned to the circle in the seventh and allowed two singles but got Katia Pendowski to foul out to secure the sweep.