Stacia Saniuk '09

Caitlin Murphy '07

Katie Franklin '07

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The Bates College softball team won its final two games at the Gene Cusic Classic on Saturday at the Cape Coral Sports Complex, edging Ohio Wesleyan 7-6 before defeating Eastern Nazarene 10-2.

The Bobcats (2-4) return to action next Saturday, March 24, with a home doubleheader against Brandeis beginning at noon.

In the win over Ohio Wesleyan, Bates sophomore Stacia Saniuk (Sharon, Mass.) clubbed a three-run home run in the fourth inning before doubling to drive in senior Katie Franklin (New Preston, Conn.) for the game-winning run in the sixth inning. Senior Kristin Masino (North Arlington, N.J.) earned the win, allowing six hits and five walks over seven inning while striking out four.

Franklin was 1-2 with a sacrifice fly RBI and an outfield assist, throwing out a runner at home. Fellow senior co-captain Caitlin Murphy (Westwood, Mass.) went 2-2 with a run and an RBI double. Bates scored single runs in the third, sixth and seventh innings in addition to a four-run fourth.

Sophomore Christina Knobel (Walpole, Mass.) earned the win over Eastern Nazarene, giving up four hits and two unearned runs and striking out four over six innings. Murphy had another big game at the plate, going 2-4 with three runs scored, a two-run home run and a stolen base.

Franklin also homered while going 2-4 with two runs and two RBIs. More offensive highlights were provided by first-year Liz Stahler (Lyndonville, Vt.), who went 1-3 with two runs, one walk and one steal, sophomore Leah Citrin (Rye Brook, N.Y.), who went 2-4 with a run and a pair of RBIs, and first-year Jill Cappucci (Saugus, Mass.), who went 2-4 with a double and two RBIs.

Bates struck for three runs in the first, two in the second, three in the fourth and two in the sixth, while Eastern Nazrene scored single runs in the third and sixth innings.

BOX: Bates 7, Ohio Wesleyan 6

BOX: Bates 10, Eastern Nazarene 2