WORCESTER -- Capped off by a Shaina Lazarus (Thousand Oaks, CA) homerun the WPI softball team split a Sunday doubleheader with Springfield College at Rooftop Field falling 5-3 in game one before ending the day in thrilling fashion with an 11-3 run rule victory. 
 
The homer was the first of the season for Lazarus and sealed the six inning victory for WPI (9-10-1, 4-4 NEWMAC) who came away with the exciting win, handing Springfield (19-4-1, 8-2) just its fourth, and only run rule loss, of the season. 
 
Callie Allison (Milford, OH) was a perfect 3-for-3 with an RBI and Virginia McKinney (Larchmont, NY) went 2-for-3 with a run scored in the first game of the day. Sydney Russell (Arlington, VA) finished game two with a 3-for-4 outing scoring a pair of runs and driving in a career high four runs while Lazarus was 2-for-3 with an RBI and three runs scored. 
 
Game One
WPI dropped the first match of the day 5-3 to the Pride. Springfield netted each and every one of its five runs via the long ball. 
 
The Pride started the game off with a 2-0 lead following a homerun from Callie Gendron (Berlin, CT) in the top of the first but WPI answered in the bottom half of the frame when Destiny Lum (Kahalu'u, HI) drove in McKinney after a Springfield error. 
 
Springfield made it a 4-1 game in the second and added another roundtripper in the sixth to build a 5-1 lead. 
 
Never deterred, WPI got to work in the seventh inning of action. Riley O'Brien (Wynantskill, NY) doubled to center to get things going and was replaced on the basepath by Mia Francisco (Hudson, NH) just in time for a Callie Allison (Milford, OH) single up the middle that brought home Francisco to make it a 5-2 game. 
 
Liz Jordan (Yardley, PA) replaced Allison on the basepaths and moved up to third on a single up the middle from Sandy Fairbairn (Norton, MA). As Kallie Case (Phoenix, AZ) stepped in to pinch hit, she sent a sacrifice fly to centerfield to bring home Jordan. But that would be as close as WPI could get in game one as Springfield came away with the win. 
 
Naomi Boldebuck (Billerica, MA) pitched all seven innings allowing nine hits and five runs while striking out five. 
 
Game Two
WPI responded in large fashion in game two with their second run rule victory of the season demolishing Springfield 11-3 capped off by Lazarus' homerun to seal the win. 
 
Springfield put a run on the board in the first and second innings, but WPI answered back in convincing fashion with a six run bottom of the second. Lum started things off with a single to left field moving to second on a Lazarus single to center. Meg Sherwood (Norfolk, MA) doubled to right centerfield to bring home Lum and put runners on second and third where Russell cleared the bases with an inside the park homer to right center to make it a 4-2 game. The homerun was the first of Russell's career.
 
McKinney got on the basepaths with a single to right and Emma Nagy (Monroe, WA) singled up the middle to get two runners on once again setting up O'Brien who doubled to center to bring another run home. Allison added another hit to drive in Nagy in the eight hit, six run inning. 
 
Springfield got one back in the fifth, but again WPI answered with a four run inning. Lum once again started things off reaching on a Springfield fielding error and was replaced on the basepaths by Alex Sheehan (Marion, MA). After a Lazarus walk, Sherwood flew out to right field to put runners on the corners. A single up the middle from Fairbairn brought home a run followed by a Russell single down the rightfield line to drive in another and make it an 8-3 game. 
 
With runners on the corners again, Russell stole second and after a throwing error by the catcher, Fairbairn came home to add another run to the total and Russell made her way up to third. In the next at bat McKinney reached on a fielding error bringing home Russell to make it a 10-3 game. 
 
In the bottom of the sixth, Lazarus came through for the Engineers with a two-out, home run to seal the win. 
 
Kaitlyn Barr (Grosse Pointe Woods, MI) started the game off for the Engineers but was replaced by Lazarus in the first inning. Lazarus finished out the game pitching 5.2 innings of action, allowing six hits and just one earned run. 
 
Next Up
WPI looks to keep the momentum going on Monday afternoon when the Engineers will finish out a game at Brandeis that was suspended in a 7-7 tie on March 22 before taking part in a second game against the Judges on Monday, April 15 beginning at 3:30pm. Springfield will be back in action at Western New England on Tuesday, April 16 with a doubleheader kicking off at 3pm.