Babson Park, Mass. – Babson sophomore Sam Pilkington (Westborough, Mass.) went 3-for-6 with a homer, four runs scored, and four runs batted in to lead the host Beavers to a doubleheader sweep of New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) foe Clark University at Alumni Field on Sunday afternoon.

The Beavers, who won game one, 6-0, and then took the nightcap, 11-3, in five innings, improved to 12-10 overall and 3-3 in league play. Meanwhile, Clark fell to 9-9 overall and 1-5 against NEWMAC competition.

Babson sophomore pitcher Christina Miquel (Emerson, N.J.) was magnificent in game one, firing a seven-hitter for her first shutout of the season and fourth of her career. The sophomore righthander stranded runners in scoring position in each of the first three innings, and then worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh to secure the victory. Along with the seven hits allowed, Miquel walked one, hit a batter, and struck out three as she improved to 3-1 on the year.

The Beavers used the longball to provide plenty of support for their second-year starter, beginning when sophomore Kelly King (Kennebunk, Maine) and Pilkington launched back-to-back home runs to left to stake the hosts to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second. Junior Ashleigh Phelps (West Chester, Pa.) later drove in a pair of runs with a sharply-hit single off the third baseman's glove that allowed juniors Jackie Enos (Taunton, Mass.) and Catie Funk (Scarborough, Maine) to score in the fourth, and senior captain Nicole Latini (East Bridgewater, Mass.) blasted her second homer of the season well over the wall in right with a runner aboard in the fifth to account for the 6-0 final.

Funk finished with two hits - both doubles - and a run scored in game one, while Phelps complimented her two-run single with a spectacular inning-ending catch over her left shoulder in deep center on a laser hit by Clark senior Erin Murphy (Boxborough, Mass.) that would have scored at least one run in the top of the third.

Sophomore Maya Allen (Concord, Mass.) and junior Mel Melkonian (Worcester, Mass.) each had doubles in the opener for Clark, while junior starter Nicole Meuse (Hudson, Mass.) took the loss (5-5) after allowing six runs on eight hits, walking one and striking out four in six innings of work.

Clark jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the second inning of game two, as senior Meghan Lennon (Charlton, Mass.) reached on a one-out single to left and sophomore Shawna Amatucci (Shrewsbury, Mass.) followed with a two-run shot to right - her first home run of the season.

Babson responded with three runs on five hits in the bottom half of the second. After Latini and Phelps starting things off with back-to-back singles, King laced a base hit to right center to plate the Beavers' first run of the inning. Clark did catch a break on the play, as King was thrown at out second trying to advance on the throw home. Pilkington then followed with an RBI single to center to plate Phelps with the game-tying run. Two batters later, Pilkington advanced to third on a double by junior Breezy DiPietro (Essex, Mass.), and she then scored when Enos reached on an error to give the hosts a 3-2 advantage.

The Beavers pushed their lead to two runs in the bottom of the fourth, as Pilkington reached on an error with one away and later scored on a two-out single by Enos. Clark then cut it back to one at 4-3 in the top half of the fifth, as Allen led off with a single to right, took second on an error, moved to third on a flyout to right by Melkonian, and scored on a clutch two-out RBI single to center by sophomore Tatiana Chunis (Sutton, Mass.).

Babson put the game away with seven runs in the bottom of the fifth, beginning with a lead-off walk by senior captain Jess Pashos (Winchester, Mass.) and a double to center by Funk. Latini followed with a perfectly-placed single over the third baseman's head and into shallow left to plate Pashos and make it a 5-3 affair. Two batters later, a walk to King loaded the bases for Pilkington, who capped off her outstanding afternoon with a hard-hit two-run single to center, padding the Beavers' lead to 7-3 and knocking Cougars' first-year starter Hayley Buckheit (Camden, Maine) out of the contest.

The hosts loaded the bases again when senior Kayla Davis (Gardner, Mass.) reached on an error, and DiPietro followed with an RBI single to right to plate rookie pinch-runner Lindsey Schmid (New Canaan, Conn.). Babson then made it 9-3 when Pilkington beat the throw home on a fielder's choice grounder by Enos, and two batters later, Funk punctuated the 11-3 victory with a two-run single to center to end the ballgame.

Sophomore righy Tess Rubega (Norwich, Conn.) pitched well in the game two win for the Beavers, allowing two earned runs on six hits, walking one and fanning three in five innings. The victory improved her season record to 5-2. Pilkington paced the Babson offense with a 2-for-3 showing with three runs scored and three RBIs, while Funk, Latini, and DiPietro joined her with two hits apiece.

The first of three Clark hurlers, Buckheit took the loss (2-2) after surrendering Babson's first four runs - only two of which were earned. The rookie righthander allowed six hits while walking two and striking out two in 3 1/3 innings. Lennon was the lone Cougar with multiple hits in the nightcap, as she went 2-for-3 with a run scored.

Clark will look to snap their current three-game slide with a doubleheader on Tuesday against Worcester State.