DUDLEY, Mass. – The Nichols College softball team rallied with three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to complete a doubleheader sweep of visiting Wentworth in The Commonwealth Coast Conference action Thursday afternoon. The Bison won the first game, 9-0, in five innings, and came back for a 5-4 victory in the second. Nichols, which also stole 12 bases on the day, improves to 8-7 overall and stays perfect in conference play at 4-0. Wentworth falls to 0-19 overall and 0-8 in league action.

Nichols senior pitcher/designated player Lindsay Hassett (Oxford, Mass.) earned the win in both games, striking out 14 while allowing four hits in 7.2 innings of work. At the plate, she finished 3-for-5 with six RBI including a two-run home run in the second inning of game one.

In the opener, Hassett struck out nine while scattering three hits in her first shutout win of the year.

The Bison took a 4-0 lead in the first inning, using three stolen bases, a hit batter and two walks to push one run across before two more scored on when Hassett reached on a fielder's choice. The fourth run was walked in before Wentworth pitcher Stephanie McLeay (Ashley Falls, Mass.) got two quick outs to end the inning. A Savahnnah Thibault (Marlborough, Mass.) scored the first Bison run of the second inning before Hassett sent Thibault home with her first home run of the season. The Leopards had the bases loaded with two outs in the fourth, but a pop up to Mary Kate Frodema (Springfield, Mass.) ended the threat and sent the Bison back to the plate where two runs came across on a Hassett sac fly.

Hassett got Nichols on the board in game two, plating one on a two-out single in the third. The lead stood until Lizz Harvey (McConnellsburg, Pa.) led off the third with a home run, which was quickly followed by a Bridget Souza (Medford, Mass.) single, bringing Haylee Bacik (Lowell, Mass.) to the plate where she hit a two-run home run to give the Leopards their first lead of the day, 3-1. Harvey edged the Leopards ahead in the fifth, scoring on a passed ball. Souza finished the game 3-for-4 at the plate.

The Bison got a runner to third in the fifth, but were unable to capitalize. In the sixth, however, Thibault led off with a single and came around to score on an Allasyn Lieneck (Oldsmar, Fla.) groundout, cutting the Leopards' lead to two.

In the bottom of the seventh, Barbara Roy (Springfield, Mass.) reached on an error, setting up Emalee Watkins (Malden, Mass.) for her first career home run, a two-run shot to tie the game. Hassett was the next batter up, and was hit by a pitch. After a fly out, Thibault singled, sending Hassett to second before they both stole bases to set up at second and third. Lauren Correia (Seekonk, Mass.) drew a walk to load the bases, and Lieneck was hit by a pitch to send the winning run across the plate.

Bison starter Kara Buckley (Nashua, N.H.) went 4.1 innings for the Bison before bowing out to Hassett, who fanned five and surrendered one hit in the remainder of the game for the win.

Nichols travels to Salve Regina Saturday for a noon TCCC doubleheader. Wentworth hosts Gordon Saturday at noon for a TCCC twinbill.

-Release Courtesy of Nichols Sports Information-