BIDDEFORD — Solid pitching and timely hitting powered the University of New England in a pair of non-conference softball victories (3-0, 7-4) against Bates College on Wednesday afternoon at Claude Dubois Field.

The Nor’easters improve to 12-8 on the year, while the Bobcats slip back to 2-8. It was the first time since the 2002 season that the two sides had played.

Sophomores Lauren Doneski and Abby Lambert combined for a four-hit shutout in game one. Doneski earned the win (5-3) in 4 and 2/3 innings, striking out six while surrendering two hits and two walks. Lambert got the save with two strikeouts and no walks allowed over the final 2 and 1/3 innings.

UNE scored runs in the 1st, 2nd, and 4th frames. Singles by senior Amanda Vaudreuil, sophomore Kelly Murphy, and Lambert loaded the bases with one out in the initial at-bat, and a walk by senior Ali Stanley pushed Vaudreuil to home plate.

Junior Brenna Callahan struck out three in the losing effort. Classmate Kelsey Freedman accounted for half of the hits for Bates.

Freedman moved into the circle for game two and recorded three quick outs in the UNE 1st, before the Bobcats pounced with two runs in the bottom of the stanza. Senior Alayna Garbarino laced a two-out, based-loaded double down the line in right to score the pair.

A two-out infield single by first-year Sydney Helmbrecht in the 2nd got one back for Big Blue in the top of the 2nd, but Freedman responded shortly after with an RBI-single to center to make it 3-1 in favor of Bates.

However, the Nor’easters took control in the 3rd by plating five runs to go ahead, 6-3. With Vaudreuil and sophomore Amanda Vallante in scoring position after the first out, the momentum swing began as senior Jessica Potter put one of the ground to the shortstop and Vaudreuil slid around a tag at home. On the ensuing play, first-year Kalie Hernandez successfully dropped down a bunt as Vallante darted for the plate as the tying run.

An error kept the inning going and allowed two more runs to come in, and then Helmbrecht reached on an infield hit while sophomore Jess Lemos managed to score from second to cap the inning.

Callahan made it 6-4 in the Bates 3rd with a two-out single up the middle, only to see Potter counter for UNE in the top of the 4th with an RBI-double into the gap in left-center that scored junior Adrienne Chase.

Big Blue first-year starter Katelyn Austin kept things in-check until midway through the Bates 5th, getting outs on six of the last seven batters she faced on the way to the win (3-2). Lambert then made another relief appearance (2 and 1/3 innings) for a save, giving up just a pair of two-out singles as the Bobcats used their last chance to extend the game while retiring the rest.

Freedman surrendered four earned runs in the setback.