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New England College

Grace Giesler
Photo: Frank Poulin
Grace Giesler
3
Norwich NORWICH 2-5, 1-2 GNAC
4
Winner New England Col. NEW ENGL 9-12, 4-1 GNAC
Norwich NORWICH
2-5, 1-2 GNAC
3
Final
4
New England Col. NEW ENGL
9-12, 4-1 GNAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Norwich NORWICH 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 3 7 2
New England Col. NEW ENGL 0 0 0 3 0 0 1 4 8 2

W: Magro, Amanda (4-4) L: M. McGinn (2-2)

5
Norwich NORWICH 2-6, 1-3 GNAC
14
Winner New England Col. NEW ENGL 10-12, 5-1 GNAC
Norwich NORWICH
2-6, 1-3 GNAC
5
Final
14
New England Col. NEW ENGL
10-12, 5-1 GNAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 R H E
Norwich NORWICH 0 1 2 0 0 2 5 8 4
New England Col. NEW ENGL 3 1 0 0 4 6 14 12 1

W: Olson, Olivia (6-2) L: M. McGinn (2-3)

Game Recap: Softball |

Giesler Sets Records as Softball Sweeps Norwich

HENNIKER, N.H. – As the snowfall ebbed and the sun came out, the New England College softball team finally opened their 2025 home schedule on Tuesday afternoon at Old Concord Road Field in Henniker, New Hampshire, sweeping their double-header against visiting Norwich University in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action with scores of 4-3 and 14-5. The Pilgrims run their record to 10-12 overall and 5-1 in conference (4-0 in division) while the Cadets find themselves with a 2-6 overall record and a 1-3 mark in GNAC play.

GAME 1 - NORWICH 3, NEC 4
  • Down 1-0 in the bottom of the fourth with two outs, the 'Grims finally broke through on the Cadets as  NEC sophomore right fielder Arianna Bayze (Temecula, Calif.) came to the plate with two runners on and singled ro right, plating junior catcher Emma Lopez (Downey, Calif.) and tying the game up. On the very next at bat, the Pilgrims would take their first lead of the game when junior third baseman Julia Maker (Warwick, R.I.) doubled to drive Bayze and junior left fielder Surena Montero (Bakersfield, Calif.) as NEC went up 3-1.
  • Tied 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh, NEC junior shortstop Grace Giesler (La Mirada, Calif.) lead off the Pilgrims with a triple. That hit gave her 19 career triples, setting an NEC record and breaking the mark previously set by former Pilgrim great Renee Hillert. Two batters later, sophomore first baseman Abigail Grimes (Baltimore, Md.) hit a walk-off single to right-center to score Giesler, ending the game with a win for the 'Grims.
  • NEC freshman pitcher Amanda Magro (Phoenix, Ariz.), last week's GNAC Pitcher of the Week, picked up the win for the Pilgrims, striking out four over seven innings and allowing just two earned runs.
GAME 2 - NORWICH 5, NEC 14
  • In the nightcap, Giesler would lead off the bottom of the first with a walk, that giving 18 on the year and tying the NEC single-season record. Two batters later, Giesler would score off a sacrifice fly from Grimes, putting the Pilgrims on the board. An RBI double by Lopez on the next at-bat would drive in sophomore designated player Sonia Garcia (San Bernardino, Calif.) and an RBI sac fly by Montero concluded the frame with a 3-0 for the home team.
  • In the bottom of the second with the 'Grims leading 3-1, NEC junior second baseman Ashleigh Lemay (Derry, N.H.) and Maker hit back-to-back doubles to plate Lemay and put the hosts up 4-1.
  • In the bottom of the fifth, the Pilgrims found themselves clinging to a one-run lead. Montero hit an RBI double to left center to drive in Lopez, increasing the lead to two. Two batters later, junior outfielder Carlie Panas (Chester, N.H.) hit an RBI double to left center to plate senior pitcher Olivia Olson (North Haven, Conn.), putting the 'Grims back up by three at 6-3. Two batters later Maker would hit an RBI single up the middle, giving NEC the 7-3 lead. On the very next at-bat, Giesler stepped to the plate and drew a walk, her 19th of the season. With that walk, Giesler broke a four-way tie for the NEC single-season walk record, outright breaking a record that had stood for 23 years. One at-bat later, an RBI fielder's choice by Garcia drove in Lemay, breaking the game open at 8-3.
  • Leading 8-5 in the bottom of the sixth, the 'Grims put together one of their best innings of the season. With back-to-back walks by Lopez and Montero and a hit-by-pitch on Olson, NEC loaded the bases with no outs. Two batters later, Lemay drew a bases-load RBI walk to score Montero. Maker would follow that up with an RBI single to plate Olson, followed by an RBI single from Giesler to drive in two more runs. Finally, Garcia hit a two-RBI single up the middle, activating the mercy rule with a walk-off hit.
UP NEXT
  • NEC is back on the field on Thursday when they travel to Framingham State University for a 3:00 p.m. non-conference double-header.
  • Norwich plays their next double-header at Vermont State University Castleton on Wednesday at 3:00 p.m.
For continuing coverage of New England College Athletics, visit athletics.nec.edu and follow the Pilgrims on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
 
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