(Game 1 Box) (Game 2 Box) 

            PLYMOUTH, N.H. - Sophomore Andrea Pydynkowski (Danvers, Mass.) and freshman Jen Skilton (Bedford, N.H./West) cracked home runs and junior Jenna George (Cumberland, R.I.) and senior Courtney MacFarland (Hampstead, N.H./Pinkerton) combined on a five-hit shutout Saturday afternoon as Plymouth State University defeated Western Connecticut State University, 4-0, in the second game of a Little East Conference softball doubleheader at D&M Park.

            The Colonials captured the first game, 3-1, on the strength on three-hit pitching from freshman Meg Dargon (Trumbull, Conn.) and RBI hits by sophomore Meg Mammone (Stamford, Conn.) in the sixth inning and senior Loren Angiolillo (Wolcott, Conn.) and junior Katelyn Farrell (Stratford, Conn.) in the seventh.  The doubleheader split leaves WestConn with a 13-9 overall record and 3-1 LEC mark, while PSU is now 14-7 overall and 3-3 in conference play.

            Dargon and MacFarland were locked in a scoreless pitching duel through five innings of the opener.  WestConn got on the board in the sixth on singles by Angiolillo and Farrell and a run-scoring double by Mammone.  The Colonials added two insurance runs in the seventh inning on the RBI singles by Angiolillo and Farrell, which were needed when PSU got an unearned run in the bottom of the seventh.

            Dargon allowed just three hits and two walks while striking out nine, improving her record to 6-2.  MacFarland was the tough-luck loser (7-4) after allowing three runs on eight hits while fanning five.

            PSU got single runs in the first two innings of the nightcap, as junior Sammi Romano (Kingston, N.H./Sanborn Regional) doubled home a run in the first and Skilton hit her first career homer in the second.  Pydynkowski added her fourth round-tripper of the season in the fourth inning, and junior Melissa Caiazzo (Portland, Maine/Deering) and Skilton delivered doubles in the sixth inning to round out the PSU scoring.  Freshman Heather Blase (Milford, N.H.) also collected three hits for PSU.

            George pitched shutout ball into the sixth inning for PSU, when MacFarland came on with runners at second and third and one out.  The next batter flew out to right field, and Romano gunned down WestConn's potential run with a strong throw to home plate.  George improved her record to 5-2 and MacFarland retired all three batters in the seventh inning for her third save of the season.

            Both teams play LEC and in-state rivals at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, PSU visiting Keene State and WestConn hosting Eastern Connecticut. 

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