DUDLEY, Mass. – Junior Amanda Peters (East Bridgewater, Mass.) hurled a five-hit win and hit two home runs, including the game-winning solo shot in the nightcap, to lift the Curry College softball team to The Commonwealth Coast Conference doubleheader sweep over Nichols College Saturday afternoon. The Colonels, who won by scores of 7-2 and 2-1, improve to 11-8 overall and 6-0 in conference play, while Nichols dips to 6-12 and evens out in league action at 4-4.

Sophomore catcher Chelsea Correia (Seekonk, Mass.) led Nichols at the plate with a two RBI and two hits, including a solo home run. Senior first baseman Valeri Calcagni (Rocky Hill, Conn.) also hit a home run for the Bison, and sophomore shortstop Savannah Thibault (Marlborough, Mass.) finished 3-for-8 with a pair of diving catches in the infield.

The Colonels combined for 22 hits on the day, led by a 5-for-7 performance from junior Janelle Mayo (Worcester, Mass.), who also had two RBI. Valarie LaSala (Seaford, N.Y.) and Kristen Jackman (Stoughton, Mass.) each hit 4-for-7 with a pair of runs scored.

Peters’ first solo shot put the Colonels on the scoreboard in the second inning of the opener, and Amanda Felzmann (Bellingham, Mass.) sent the second run across with an RBI double in the fourth.

Curry did its damage in the sixth with two outs, plating five runs on five hits and a pair of errors. A Nichols rally started in the bottom of the seventh as Chelsea Correia knocked the first pitch of the inning past the centerfield fence, and Calcagni followed in the same spot in the Bison’s next at-bat, but that was all Nichols could muster.

Peters improved to 3-5 with the win, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out one. Kara Buckley (Nashua, N.H.) took the loss for Nichols with 12 hits, allowing seven runs (one earned) while fanning one.

Jackman led off the second game with a double and came around to put Curry on the board early on a sac fly from Mayo, who was on the mound in the nightcap. Nichols responded in the same fashion in the bottom of the frame with a Thibault leadoff double, scoring on a bases-loaded fielder’s choice by Chelsea Correia.

Both teams had runners in scoring position in each inning through the third, but then Mayo held Nichols hitless until the bottom of the seventh, a Thibault two-out single.

Curry loaded the bases in the fifth with two outs, but Nichols pitcher Molly Ferraro (Millis, Mass.) fanned the final batter to end the threat. It was in the sixth, however, that Peters knocked the game-winning home run over the right field fence as she led off the inning.

Mayo improved to 6-1 with the win, striking out five and allowing five hits. Ferraro evens out at 4-4 with 101 hits and four strikeouts; she did not walk a batter in the game.

Nichols takes a break from TCCC action with a 3:00 p.m. twin bill at WPI on Tuesday, April 6. Curry will look to extend its win streak from six as it travels to Western New England College Tuesday for a 3:30 p.m. conference doubleheader. (Game recaps courtesy of Nichols College Sports Information)

Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score