East Providence, R.I. – The Johnson & Wales University softball team swept a Great Northeast Athletic Conference double header against Lasell at Pierce Field on Saturday afternoon. JWU posted a 3-2 win in the opener and completed the sweep with a 6-3 victory in the nightcap.
Game One:
JWU took the 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third when they capitalized on a Lasell miscue. The Wildcats added to their lead in the bottom of the fifth when they pushed across a pair of runs, including an RBI single by freshman Carly Cabral (Warwick, R.I.) for the 3-0 advantage. Lasell chipped away at the lead in the top of the sixth when a two-run home run by freshman Nicole LeBlamc made the score 3-2. That would be all the scoring for the contest, however as JWU held on for the 3-2 victory. Juniors Taylor Cwalinski (Jackson, N.J.) and Robyn Ziegler (Doylestown, Pa.) each notched a pair of hits for the Wildcats. Cwalinski picked up the win in the pitching circle, allowing two runs on eight hits with 12 strikeouts in the complete-game victory.
Game Two:
In the nightcap Lasell used a JWU error for an unearned run in the top of the first. JWU responded in the bottom of the second when they tallied four runs, including an RBI single by freshman Cynthia Proby (Bremerton, Wash.). LeBlanc tallied an RBI triple in the third and pulled to within one run in the top of the fifth as an RBI single by junior Denise Archetto (Cranston, R.I.) made the score 4-3. It wouldn't be enough, however as the Wildcats added two more in the bottom of the frame on a two-run home run by junior Tayla Gardner (Orangeburg, N.J.) to propel the Wildcats to the 6-3 victory. Gardner was 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI while also picking up the win in the pitching circle, allowing three runs on seven hits with 10 strikeouts.
With the sweep JWU improves to 11-13 on the year and 6-6 in the GNAC while Lasell falls to 6-15 on the season and 3-8 in league play. The Wildcats will return to action on Sunday, April 7th when they travel to Rivier for a GNAC double header at 1:00 p.m.