WENHAM, Mass.—The University of England Softball team proved why they were atop the Commonwealth Coast Conference standings coming into Saturday by sweeping Gordon 11-1 and 12-5. UNE's Amanda Vallante (Dracut, Mass.) and Adrienne Chase (Holden, Mass.) combined to go 12-of-13 at the plate with 6 RBI to power the Nor'easters past the Fighting Scots. Sarah Ryder (Telford, Pa.) went 3-for-5 and a round-tripper for Gordon.
 
The Nor'easters pull their record up to 8-2 in the CCC and 14-9 overall, while Gordon falls to 3-15 and 2-6 in conference.
 
Game One
 
The first game was all UNE, as the Nor'easters crossed the plate in four of the five innings played. UNE also played small ball well against the Scots, making Gordon pay with walks and bloop singles that led to several stolen bases.
 
Sydney Helmbrecht (Grand Rapids, Mich.) scored the first run of the game on a passed ball after walking to lead off the game and stealing second base. Vallante also walked in the inning and eventually scored on a single to right field by Chase. UNE's left fielder, Chase, kept the pressure on Gordon's battery with another steal before being ushered home on a single by Meghan Bolano (Wakefield, R.I.).
 
UNE added three more in the top of the second inning, again combining base hits with excellent running on the base paths. Paige Moore-Haskell (Scarbough, Maine) drove in Helmbrecht for the fourth run of the game before Chase doubled in Moore-Haskell and Vallante.
 
Neither team was able to score a run until the top of the fourth when the Nor'easters put four more on the scoreboard. The Nor'easters put together a five-hit frame, including RBI knocks by Vallante, Bolano and Katelyn Austin (Bethlehem, N.H.).
 
Austin was impressive in the circle for UNE. After allowing a walk to open the game, the sophomore pitcher cut down 11 straight Gordon batters before Kara Pepper (Wyckoff, N.J.) ended the no-hitter and shutout with one swing of the bat. Pepper pummeled a low pitch over the left-center fence for the Scots only run of the game.
 
Kelly Murphy (Cromwell, Conn.) added a RBI-single in the top of the fifth for good measure.
 
Austin improved to 6-3 on the season while giving up only one earned run and striking out eight batters. Gordon's Emily Kline (Park Ridge, N.J.) was credited with giving up 11 earned runs and falls, while walking eight batters and only striking out two. She falls to 2-4.
 
Game Two
 
The Nor'easters continued where they left off at the end of the first game and quickly put two runs on the board in the top of the first frame. Gordon pitcher Abigal Knowlton (Deer Isle, Maine) retired the first two batters of the inning, but Vallante singled and stole second to put pressure on the freshman. Chase hit a single to the gap to score Vallante from second before being ushered in herself by a Murphy double to the wall in left.
 
Gordon's offense awoke from their slumber in the bottom of the first inning and tagged four runs off UNE starter Sara Pelkey (Fitzwilliam, N.H.). Pelkey K'd Rachel Ryder (Telford, Pa.) to lead off the inning, but hit Emily Burkhart (Manheim, Pa.) on the next pitch. Marissa Meenan (Wayne, Pa.) was safe at first on an error by the shortstop, which set up a two-RBI single from Kline to even the score.
 
On a quirky play, Kline advanced on the throw home and eventually scored because of a throwing error by the UNE catcher—giving Gordon its first lead of the series 3-2. Sarah Ryder punched a ball over the left centerfield fence in the next at-bat and put the Scots up 4-2 entering the second inning.
 
After a fairly routine top of the second, Gordon threatened to score again in the bottom half. Rachel Ryder doubled to the gap in right-center and Burkhart earned a free pass to first before Meenan singled to load the bases with only one out. Pelkey was able to get two ground balls and get out of the inning unscathed.
 
The Nor'easters stormed back and regained the lead in the top of the third. Once again, Vallante and Chase were at the heart of the offensive charge for UNE. After Cat Ouellette scored on a passed ball, Chase doubled for the second time on the afternoon to knock in Vallante. Chase was thrown out at third on the play. Bolano reached base on an error by Kline at first and was escorted home on a long double by Abby Lambert (Brockton, Mass.).
 
UNE scored three runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to break the game open. Gordon's Brie Roberts (Center Conway, N.H.) hit a two-out double to score Sarah Ryder for the Scots final run of the day.
 
Pelkey improved to 4-1 on the year, while giving up 10 hits, five runs—one earned—and five strikeouts. Knowlton fell to 1-12, but struck out a season-high five batters.
 
The Nor'easters are back in action tomorrow when they travel to Springfield, Mass. to take on Western New England. Gordon has a day off on Sunday before returning to the field at home against Curry on Monday. 

Gordon celebrated senior day for Rachel Ryder and student assistant Grace Northgraves on Saturday.