BEVERLY, Mass. – A seventh-inning rally, behind 4-3, led the second-seeded Western New England Golden Bears' softball team (26-12) to a 6-4 win over the fourth-seeded Wentworth Institute of Technology (25-18) in the Commonwealth Coast Conference Tournament's slate Friday afternoon. The loss accounted for the Leopards' first setback of the double-elimination playoffs.

With the win, the Golden Bears automatically advance to the championship game. Wentworth now heads to the semifinals taking place Saturday afternoon with another chance to earn their way to the title bout.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Leopards set out to a 1-0 lead in the opening frame as a single by freshman Kelsey Medalia (Tacoma, Wash.) with two runners on plated one at home. WNE knotted the score in the second inning, capitalizing on a throwing error.
• Another two-base error for Wentworth drove home another score for the Golden Bears in the fourth inning before a fielder's choice by freshman Marley Rodriguez (Austin, Texas) extended their lead to 3-1.
• The Leopards scored in a frenzy in the back half of the frame, starting with a single by junior Katie Kranz (Bedford, Mass.) with the bases loaded that drove home a run. Freshman Brianna Miller (West Haven, Conn.) and junior Katelin Howe (Bow, N.H.) both followed Kranz with RBI singles as well, giving the Leopards a 4-3 edge.
• WNE knotted the score once more in the seventh inning on a sacrifice fly before a double by junior Alex Ferriouolo (North Haven, Conn.) plated a run and gave the Golden Bears a 5-4 edge. Another single later drove home Ferriouolo to extend their lead to 6-4.
• Despite a single by junior Jess Rowe (Yardley, Pa.) in the seventh, the Golden Bears fended off the Leopards. Rowe only surrendered two hits across four innings of work before sophomore Julie Schriver (Moscow, Pa.) took the loss in relief. Kranz and Medalia led the offense with two hits and one RBI apiece.

NEXT UP:

• The Leopards move on to the semifinals tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. versus fifth-seeded Roger Williams.
  
  

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