WESTFIELD, Mass. – Springfield College's Dana Serrichio and Cassie Gendron each homered, leading the Pride to a non-conference softball doubleheader sweep of the Westfield State Owls on Saturday.
Springfield (11-3) prevailed 10-1 in the opener and 13-5 in game two.
In the nightcap, Westfield (3-11) jumped out to a 3-0 first inning lead, getting a 2-run double from Abby Higgins, with Higgins coming around to score on a pair of wild pitches.
The Pride rallied with one run in the second, then five in the third, as Sam Wittmer led off the inning with a double, Kristien Avocella added an RBI double later in the inning, and a few hitters later Serrichio lined a 2-run homer to left center to give springfield a 6-3 lead.
The Pride tacked on one run in the fourth as Allie Olsen led off with a single and Cassie Gendron delivered an RBI base hit later in the inning.
In the fifth, the wheels came off for the Owls as Olsen laid down a perfect squeeze bunt to score the first run of the inning, and Gendron followed a few batters later with a titanic grand slam home run to left field. Gendron's towering blast sailed more than 20 feet over the left field fence.
Westfield rallied for a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth, getting a 2-RBI double from Colleen Hughes on a line shot to center field, but that was all the Owls would get, leading to the mercy rule win in five innings for the Pride.
Ashley Pugiliese (4-2) earned the win for Springfield, while Brenna Welch (2-4) took the pitching loss for the Owls.
In the opener, Springfield did it's damage with six-runs on six hits in the fifth inning, the big blow an RBI triple from Lucy Puskas.
Serrichio finished 3-3 at the plate in the opener, and Sam Witmer finished with two hits and three rbi.
For Westfield, Christina Ciampa finished 2-2 at the plate and scored the Owls' lone rin in the third inning on a wild pitch.
Springfield's Gillian Kane shut the Owls down on four hits with seven strikeouts to pick up her sixth win of the season against just one loss.
Katherine Canty (0-2) started and absorbed the pitching loss for Westfield.
Westfield State is next slated to play at Smith on Wednesday, March 30 with a 3:00 p.m. start.