BIDDEFORD — Roger Williams University turned in a pair of solid performances to sweep (10-1, 4-3) the University of New England in a Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) softball doubleheader Friday afternoon (Apr. 14) at Bill Doran Field.

The Hawks improve to 19-13 overall and 10-4 in CCC action with the wins, while the Nor’easters slip back to 9-11 and 5-7 in league outings.

Meredith Moise (North Reading, Mass.) tallied five hits on the day from the top of the RWU lineup to pace the offense, and Haley Ledbetter (Westerly, R.I.) added four from the second spot. In the circle, Juliet Hulme (Duxbury, Mass.) and Alyssa Murray (Green Brook, N.J.) earned the decisions — each surrendering six hits and one walk.

Roger Williams had the edge in GAME 1 from the start, scoring twice with just one hit and no errors in the 1st inning. The Hawks were getting out-hit (4-2) through four frames, but began connecting more frequently in the 5th to plate some insurance and take a 6-0 lead.

Ledbetter and Moise went for three and two hits in the contest, respectively, and accounted for the same amounts of runs scored. Julianne Vesce (Mahwah, N.J.) and Sigita Ivaska (Gibsonia, Pa.) both notched two RBI. Hulme, who fanned five, exited the match briefly during the initial moments of the 7th and was not responsible for UNE’s lone marker.

Melissa Sprague (Londonderry, N.H.) was charged with the setback in 4.0 innings, striking out four while allowing four earned runs. Sydney Helmbrecht (Grand Rapids, Minn.) had had two hits and two stolen bases for the Nor’easters.

Before Murray could even take the circle in GAME 2, she helped her own cause with a two-out RBI-single that gave RWU a 1-0 lead.

UNE answered right back, however, as Lauren Gerhard (Merrimack, N.H.) put a two-RBI single on the board to capitalize on a couple of early miscues by the visiting side.

Alexa Califano (Dix Hills, N.Y.) tied things up for the Hawks in the 4th with a two-out RBI-double, and Vesce nudged Roger Williams in front (3-2) in the 5th with an RBI-double that sent around Moise for a second time after a lead-off double.

The road team was positioned to expand the cushion in the 6th with the first two batters aboard, but had to wait until the 7th to increase the margin to 4-2, when Murray posted a two-out RBI-triple.

The Nor’easters were down to their last out when pinch-hitter Sarah Lachapelle (Gilford, N.H.) singled. A walk followed, and Helmbrecht cut the deficit in half (4-3) with an RBI-single. But the rally fell short as Hulme entered to pitch for RWU and got a popout to secure the result and register the save.

Murray matched Moise with three hits in the game for the Hawks, and conceded just the one earned run in the circle.

Sydnee Bessler (Everett, Mass.) took the loss, giving up three earned runs while striking out five.