It was a big weekend for the Endicott College softball team, as the Gulls captured their third consecutive Commonwealth Coast Conference Championship title by sweeping Western New England in two games. The Gulls came from behind to win Game 1 6-5, then got the bats going in an 11-3 win in Game 2.
With the win, Endicott earned an automatic bid into the Division III NCAA Tournament. The Gulls (30-11) picked up the No. 6 seed in Region II and will take on Penn State Berks in the opening round of the tournament beginning Thursday.
In Game 1, the star of the day was Lynnfield native Chloe Shapleigh. The freshman had the biggest hit of the day, smashing a pinch-hit grand slam in the bottom of the sixth inning to put the Gulls ahead for good. Shapleigh also picked up her first career CCC Rookie of the Week Award after her performance in the CCC Tournament. She made five pinch-hit plate appearances in the tournament, going 3-for-4 with a double, two home runs and a sacrifice fly. Shapleigh also scored two runs and drove in eight while slashing .750/.600/2.500 during that stretch.
In Game 2, former St. Mary’s star Christina Nowicki had a two-run double and Swampscott native Katie Watts added a double and an RBI as a part of a 15-hit Gulls outburst.
