Devlin's walk-off highlights sweep of UNE on senior day
April 21, 2011
Beverly, Mass. – Sophomore Nicole Devlin (Dudley, Mass.) hit a walk-off, three-run homerun in the bottom of the seventh inning to erase a two-run deficit and propel the Endicott softball team to a 5-2 win in game one of a The Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC) doubleheader against visiting University of New England.
The Gulls (29-5, 21-1 TCCC) used a seven run fourth inning in game two to take the nightcap 8-4 and move their win streak to 20 games. The Nor’easters drop to 23-13 overall and 15-7 in conference play with the losses.
Game One Recap: Endicott 5, University of New England 4
Game One Boxscore
Endicott rallied from a three run deficit in the final two innings, capped by Devlin’s big fly with two runners on and one out, to stun UNE in game one.
Jennie Lacolla (Stoneham, Mass.) continued a strong freshman campaign with a first inning solo home run to put the hosts on top 1-0.
The visitors responded with two runs in the top of the second on an Amanda Vaudreuil (Windham, N.H.) two-run home run.
Ashley Gott’s (Winterport, Maine) RBI single doubled the lead in the top of the third while the Gulls struggled to drive in runners in scoring position.
Endicott finished with 11 runners left on base and came up empty on bases-loaded situations in the third and fifth innings.
Sophomore Megan Gauger (South Paris, Maine) led off the top of the sixth with a solo shot to give the Nor’easters a 4-1 lead.
The Gulls countered with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning after Lacolla’s RBI single scored Alexandra Moise (North Reading, Mass.) from third.
Senior Hayley Hovhanessian (Farmington, Conn.) led off the bottom of the seventh with a single through the left side. One batter later, Krista Fales (Melrose, Mass.) singled to put runners on first and second with one out before Devlin’s first homerun of the season completed the rally.
Senior pitcher Jenna Bortolotti (Milton, Mass.) moved to 13-3 on the year with the win, scattering six hits and fanning five in a complete game. Her counterpart, junior Julie Bigelow (Montpelier, Vt.), struck out six but drops to 5-6 with the loss.
Game Two Recap: Endicott 8, University of New England 4
Game Two Boxscore
The University of New England jumped out to an early lead through the first three and a half innings of game two. Megan Gauger’s two-RBI double in the top of the third gave the Nor’easters a 3-0 advantage as they looked to salvage a split.
Devlin’s opportunistic base running helped the Gulls get one back in the bottom of the third, as the sophomore stole third and then scored on an errant throw.
Junior pitcher Erin Lyons (Salem, N.H.) helped her own cause with a solo homerun to lead off the top of the fourth and stretch the lead to 4-1.
Endicott took control from there, erupting for seven runs in the bottom half of the inning en route to the 8-4 win. Lacolla led off with her second homerun of the day and team-leading eighth of the season to pull the Gulls within two. Krista Fales leveled the game at four with a two-RBI bunt single and was driven in one batter later on an RBI single by Moise.
Freshman Jesse Bilafer (Concord, Mass.) roped a two-RBI double down the left field line to drive in Moise and Jocelyn Russo (Middletown, Conn.) before Lacolla’s RBI double capped the scoring.
Kayla Carignan (Laconia, N.H.) shut down the visitors over the final 3.1 innings to improve to 8-0 on the season.
Lyons went the distance for UNE, allowing eight runs (seven earned) on 13 hits while striking out three to fall to 8-6 on the year.
Endicott hosts Western New England on Saturday (April 23) for the final conference games of the season. UNE travels to Bowdoin on Monday (April 25) for its non-conference finale.
The Gulls (29-5, 21-1 TCCC) used a seven run fourth inning in game two to take the nightcap 8-4 and move their win streak to 20 games. The Nor’easters drop to 23-13 overall and 15-7 in conference play with the losses.
Game One Recap: Endicott 5, University of New England 4
Game One Boxscore
Endicott rallied from a three run deficit in the final two innings, capped by Devlin’s big fly with two runners on and one out, to stun UNE in game one.
Jennie Lacolla (Stoneham, Mass.) continued a strong freshman campaign with a first inning solo home run to put the hosts on top 1-0.
The visitors responded with two runs in the top of the second on an Amanda Vaudreuil (Windham, N.H.) two-run home run.
Ashley Gott’s (Winterport, Maine) RBI single doubled the lead in the top of the third while the Gulls struggled to drive in runners in scoring position.
Endicott finished with 11 runners left on base and came up empty on bases-loaded situations in the third and fifth innings.
Sophomore Megan Gauger (South Paris, Maine) led off the top of the sixth with a solo shot to give the Nor’easters a 4-1 lead.
The Gulls countered with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning after Lacolla’s RBI single scored Alexandra Moise (North Reading, Mass.) from third.
Senior Hayley Hovhanessian (Farmington, Conn.) led off the bottom of the seventh with a single through the left side. One batter later, Krista Fales (Melrose, Mass.) singled to put runners on first and second with one out before Devlin’s first homerun of the season completed the rally.
Senior pitcher Jenna Bortolotti (Milton, Mass.) moved to 13-3 on the year with the win, scattering six hits and fanning five in a complete game. Her counterpart, junior Julie Bigelow (Montpelier, Vt.), struck out six but drops to 5-6 with the loss.
Game Two Recap: Endicott 8, University of New England 4
Game Two Boxscore
The University of New England jumped out to an early lead through the first three and a half innings of game two. Megan Gauger’s two-RBI double in the top of the third gave the Nor’easters a 3-0 advantage as they looked to salvage a split.
Devlin’s opportunistic base running helped the Gulls get one back in the bottom of the third, as the sophomore stole third and then scored on an errant throw.
Junior pitcher Erin Lyons (Salem, N.H.) helped her own cause with a solo homerun to lead off the top of the fourth and stretch the lead to 4-1.
Endicott took control from there, erupting for seven runs in the bottom half of the inning en route to the 8-4 win. Lacolla led off with her second homerun of the day and team-leading eighth of the season to pull the Gulls within two. Krista Fales leveled the game at four with a two-RBI bunt single and was driven in one batter later on an RBI single by Moise.
Freshman Jesse Bilafer (Concord, Mass.) roped a two-RBI double down the left field line to drive in Moise and Jocelyn Russo (Middletown, Conn.) before Lacolla’s RBI double capped the scoring.
Kayla Carignan (Laconia, N.H.) shut down the visitors over the final 3.1 innings to improve to 8-0 on the season.
Lyons went the distance for UNE, allowing eight runs (seven earned) on 13 hits while striking out three to fall to 8-6 on the year.
Endicott hosts Western New England on Saturday (April 23) for the final conference games of the season. UNE travels to Bowdoin on Monday (April 25) for its non-conference finale.