NASHUA, N.H. – Rivier softball extended its winning streak to five games on Friday night as it swept both games of Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) North Division doubleheader against New England Col. at Raider Diamond. NEC served as the home team for both contests.
The Raiders won by final scores of 4-1 in game one and 11-1 in six innings in game two and improved to 19-13 (11-3 GNAC). The Pilgrims dropped to 13-21 (6-8 GNAC).
The victories marked the first 19-win season since the 2012 campaign, and the first time the squad has reached 11 conference wins since 2013.
Rivier will honor its seniors on Sunday, April 27 prior to a home GNAC North twin bill against Norwich beginning at noon.
Rivier 4, New England Col. 1
Rivier used a three-run top of the third with graduate student Hannah Muchemore and juniors Olivia Couto and Avry Nelson notching runs batted in. The Pilgrims responded with one run in the bottom half of the frame to cut the deficit to two runs.
In the top of the sixth, senior Sarah Frazier provided an insurance run, scoring sophomore Sophia Quinlan after she advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt laid down by graduate student Kayla Miles.
Senior Courtney Marioles pitched a one-two-three bottom of the sixth and allowed just one baserunner in the bottom of the seventh to secure her eighth victory of the campaign.
Marioles dealt a complete game, allowing one run on nine hits and a walk while earning three strikeouts.
Frazier went 2-for-4 with one run batted in and one run scored to her credit. Nelson finished with one RBI, going 2-for-3 at the dish.
Rivier 11, New England Col. 1 (6 inn.)
The Raiders used a base-clearing triple from junior Kylee Caetano knocked in the first three runs of the game to give Rivier a 3-0 lead after the top of the first.
Rivier added three runs in the top of the fourth, with graduate student Hannah Muchemore producing a two RBI single through the right side before junior Olivia Couto forced sophomore Hayleigh Silva across the plate on a sacrifice fly, increasing Rivier's lead to six.
Silva drove in a run of her own in the top of the fifth to make it 7-0.
In the sixth, Rivier's bats erupted as sophomore Sophia Quinlan notched an RBI triple to right center before scoring on a double off the bat of grad Kayla Miles. Miles and Silva each scored on a pair of NEC errors to make it 11-0.
Facing the run rule, the Pilgrims looked to mount a comeback and extend the game to a sixth inning but could only score once on an RBI double.
Sophomore Hailey Berube went the distance, allowing just six baserunners while striking out three NEC batters in her eighth victory of the campaign.
Silva and Quinlan each went 3-for-4 at the plate, and each scored twice with one RBI. In total, Rivier racked up 12 hits and six walks while only striking out on four occasions.
