Springfield, Mass. – April 5, 2024 – The Springfield College softball team earned a two-game sweep over Babson College in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play on Friday afternoon on Potter Field. The Pride won game one, 9-1 in six innings, before defeating Babson, 5-2, in the nightcap to secure the NEWMAC sweep.

Springfield, which swept Babson for the first time since the 2012 campaign, pushed its unbeaten streak to nine and improved to 15-2-1 (4-0 NEWMAC), while the Beavers dropped to 8-11 (1-3 NEWMAC). The Pride will welcome Wellesley College to Springfield for a NEWMAC twinbill on Saturday, April 6 beginning at 12:00 pm.

As a team, Springfield produced 23 hits and 14 runs over the two games this afternoon. Amelia DeRosa (Miller Place, N.Y.) and Michaela Ponticello (Gloversville, N.Y.) both went 4-for-6 on the day and combined for four runs and two RBI, while Alli Olsen (Ridgewood, N.J.) went 3-for-5 with three runs, a triple and an RBI. Callie Gendron (Berlin, Conn.) also drove in a team-best four runs, tallied two hits and two walks today. Gendron was also outstanding behind the dish as she threw out four runners at second on stolen base attempts.

Game One: Springfield 9, Babson 1 (Six Innings)

In the bottom of the second inning, Breannah McCann (Poway, Calif.) drove in Ponticello for the 1-0 advantage. Ponticello began the frame with a single to left, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and came across to score on McCann's knock to right.

Babson knotted the score at 1-1 in the top of the fourth, but Springfield answered with a four spot in the bottom of the frame. With the bases loaded after singles by Lucy Puskas (Roxbury, Conn.) and Emily Whelan (Hopkinton, Mass.) as well as a walk from Carissa Pecchia (Mamaroneck, N.Y.), Gendron cleared the bags with a three-run double to right center. Gendron then scored the Pride's fourth run of the inning on an infield single by Ava Rainone (White Plains, N.Y.).

Springfield added three runs to balloon the score to 8-1 in the bottom of the fifth. Puskas began the inning with a triple to right center, Olsen belted an infield single and DeRosa walked to once again load the bases for the Pride. Pecchia lined the ball to center to score Olsen and Puskas, before a bases loaded  walk by Ponticello gave Springfield a seven run cushion.

The Beavers had runners on in the top of the sixth, but DeRosa got out of the jam giving Springfield a chance to win it in the bottom of the inning.

With one out, Olsen tripled to right center and immediately scored on a double to the wall by DeRosa to account for the 9-1 final.

DeRosa (7-2) pitched a complete game, scattered seven hits and allowed one run in the game one victory for Springfield.

Game Two: Springfield 5, Babson 2

Both teams traded single runs in the bottom of the first and the top of the second before Babson took its first lead of the day in the top of the fourth on an RBI groundout by C. Raymond.

Just as the Pride did in game one, though, they put together four runs in the bottom of the fourth and never looked back. McCann began the inning with a single to center, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and pinch-runner Sarah Falcone (Monroe, Conn.) scored on a single up the middle by Olsen.

After intentionally walking DeRosa with a runner on third, Whelan roped an infield single to second allowing Olsen to score the go-ahead run. A single through the left side by Pecchia plated DeRosa for a 4-2 edge before a sacrifice fly by Gendron plated Whelan to up the advantage to 5-2.

Springfield starter Ashley Pugliese (Long Island, N.Y.) was able to get out of a jam with runners on first and second in the fifth, set down Babson 1-2-3 and secured the sweep and the complete game by getting a ground out to end it in the seventh.

Pugliese improved to 6-0 in the circle for Springfield as she scattered six hits and allowed one earned run this afternoon.