New England College softball grabbed a pair of one-run conference victories Saturday afternoon beating visiting Johnson State College 3-2 in game one and 6-5 in game two.

With the wins the Pilgrims improve to 11-10 overall and 2-1 in North Atlantic Conference (NAC) play.  The losses drop the Badgers to 1-5 overall and 0-2 in the NAC.

In game one Johnson would start the scoring in the home half of the first inning as Alex Bean would open the inning with a walk, advance to second on a Casey Hogan bunt and score on a single to right field by Kristy McDonnell.

NEC would knot the game at 1-1 in the second inning as Rachel Kerrigan would single to left and come around to score on a single off the bat of Gina Drappi.  The Pilgrims would take the 2-1 advantage in the third inning thanks to a solo homerun to center field by Rebecca Allen.  NEC would get another run in the sixth as Colleen Holt would reach on an infield single and score on an infield single by Kiley Williams that would skirt into the hole between shortstop and third.

Johnson would get a run back in the seventh inning thanks to a sacrifice fly by Casey Horgan that would score pinch runner Abby McRae but the Badgers would strand the game-tying run at second as the Pilgrims held on for the 3-2 victory.

NEC's Deb Mazzeo picked up the win on the mound for the Pilgrims allowing two earned runs on six hits, while striking out six.  Johnson pitcher Andrea Williams pitched the complete game allowing three earned runs on nine hits and struck out six.

NEC's Rebecca Allen and Kiley Williams finished game one with two hits apiece.  Johnson's Casey Hogan finished with two hits, including a double to left center.  

In game two the Pilgrims would jump out to an early 3-0 lead in the first as Maranda Johnson would single, followed by a walk by Rebecca Allen, both Johnson and Allen would then score on an infield error.  Brittany Disante who reached on the error would then come around to score on a Shawnie Clark double to right field.

The Badgers would get a run back in the home half of the first as Anna Bingham would draw a two-out walk, steal second and score on a single off the wall by Kristy McDonnell.

Both teams would plate two runs each in the third inning and Johnson would get two across in the home half of the fifth inning tying the game at 5-5.  NEC would regain the lead in the sixth plating an unearned run and keep Johnson off the board in the sixth with runners in scoring position and again in the seventh en route to the eventual 6-5 win.

Mazzeo picked up the complete game two victory on the mound for the Pilgrims allowing five earned runs on eight hits and striking out 10.  Williams was on the mound again for Johnson allowing just two earned runs on eight hits and posting five strike outs.