BRISTOL, R.I. — After an 11-3 setback in the opener of Sunday’s Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) doubleheader, Abby Lambert carried a no-hitter into the sixth of the second game as the University of New England shut out Roger Williams University, 3-0, at Paolino Field.
The Nor’easters (15-5) move to 6-2 in CCC games, while the Hawks (11- 13) now sit at 5-3 in the league standings.
Lambert improved her personal mark to 4-1 with the game two result, which featured five strikeouts against three hits and no walks. Following an error to the first RWU batter of the contest, she retired the ensuing 17 before conceding back-to-back singles with two outs in the second-to-last frame. The hosts finished with three singles – only one that cleared the infield.
UNE gained a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on an RBI-double to left-center by Amanda Vallante. Caroline Schoenbucher, who started the inning with a single, scored on the play.
The Nor’easters left five runners in scoring position until padding the cushion in the sixth. Lambert singled to kick things off and Alexis Kapsambelis entered as a pinch runner; a sacrifice bunt, single, and wild pitch made the lead 2-0. Then with two away, Schoenbucher sent one back up the middle to plate Kaitlin Carson and make the advantage three.
Vallante and Kelly Murphy also had a pair of hits for UNE.
Mary Adametz took the loss in five innings of action.
Game one turned in the bottom of the fifth, as Roger Williams, plated seven runs to assume a 10-3 cushion. An error to the lead-off batter soon gave the Hawks a 4-3 edge, and Sarah Doe singled up the middle to drive in two more. Then, with the bases loaded, Mikaela Grosso lofted a grand slam over the fence in left-center to put her side in full control.
A lead-off homer in the sixth by Alicia McCauley ended the match early. McCauley totaled team-highs three hits and three runs, while Doe, Veronica Alicea, Taylor Messier, and Meghan Maliga each added two hits. Alicea had the first of her two RBI in the second to give RWU a 1-0 lead, and Messier knocked in one as the Hawks plated two in the fourth to level things at 3-all.
After no success facing Maliga during the initial 10 at-bats, a two-out single by Vallante and an error on the next play set the stage for Andrea Gosper and a two-run double to right and provide the Nor’easters with a 2-1 edge in the top half of the fourth. Lambert then tacked on another, scoring Gosper with a single to left-center.
Maliga got right back to work in the fifth and sixth, set down all six from UNE on the way to logging her sixth win of the year. She finished with three unearned runs and a trio of strikeouts, against four hits and no walks.
In the circle for the Nor’easters, Katelyn Austin came up on the short end of the outcome, allowing just four earned runs over 4 2/3 innings.
UNE is scheduled to travel to a non-conference doubleheader at the University of Southern Maine on Tuesday (3:30 p.m.).
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