WESTON, Mass. – The Regis (Mass.) softball team split a twinbill with Newbury on Wednesday, winning game one 8-3 but falling 2-1 in heartbreaking fashion in the nightcap in New England Collegiate Conference action at Regis Field. The Pride runs its record to 10-8 overall and 8-2 in conference with the Nighthawks moving to 13-12 and 10-1 in league play.
Regis next visits Daniel Webster Saturday for a doubleheader set for 1:00 p.m. The Nighthawks retake the field on Thursday at Eastern Nazarene for a twinbill starting at 3:00 p.m.
GAME 1: Regis 8 Newbury 3
The opener saw Madi McLellan battle through a three-run sixth inning but prevail to help the Pride to an 8-3 win and hand Newbury its first conference loss. Alexa Nejaime (Sandisfield, Mass.) had a monster game at the plate, delivering three hits along with a pair of runs and an RBI. Allie Petillo (West Sayville, N.Y.) added a pair of hits and two RBI including a run-scoring double as part of a big four-run fifth inning
McLellan (7-5) would get the win in seven complete innings of work, allowing three runs on nine hits with six strikeouts. Mallory Stefan (6-8) was tagged with the loss for the Nighthawks, working six complete and giving up seven earned runs on 14 hits.
Regis jumped out on Newbury early, putting up two runs in the first kickstarted by Amanda Navarro's (Stoneham, Mass.) run scoring double to help the Pride to a 2-0 lead. After adding another run in the fourth, Regis put four runs on the board in the fifth inning to all but seal the win. Emily Rasmussen (Kingston, N.H.) had the big hit of the inning, clearing the bases with a three-run double to put her team out in front 6-0.
Meanwhile, McLellan was cruising through the Nighthawk order, retiring her first seven batters before surrendering her first hit in the third inning. Newbury would finally get to her as Tina Babcock's run scoring double capped a three-run inning that cut into the lead.
That would be it for Newbury though as Regis added one more to complete the scoring. Elizabeth Kia (Kea'au, Hawai'i) had two hits to lead the Nighthawks with Stefan adding one hit, one run and one RBI to help her cause.
GAME 2: Newbury 2 Regis 1
The nightcap featured a much tighter contest with Newbury coming out on top 2-1 to earn the split. The Pride clung to a 1-0 lead in the final inning before Noelle Sass (Randolph, Mass.) delivered a two run homer over the left field fence to snatch the win from the Pride.
Regis had a chance to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh. After Rachel Tortora (Malden, Mass.) and Kelsey Grimard (Pelham, N.H.) both grounded out to start the inning, Brianna Napoleone (Medford, Mass.) reached second base after her base hit was followed by Jenna Casello's (Westborough, Mass.) hit by pitch. Navarro would not be able to drive home Napoleone however, popping out to end the game.
The Pride got its lone run of the game in the third inning. Navarro's base hit coupled by an error in left field allowed Casello to score what proved to be her team's only run of the game.
McLellan was tagged with the loss after tossing three innings of relief and giving up two runs on three hits including Sass's homerun. Alina Milauskas (7-4) allowed just one unearned run in seven complete innings for the win.
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