NEW LONDON, Conn.-- Coast Guard softball split its New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) opener with Smith at home on Saturday afternoon. The Bears are now 4-4 overall and 1-1 in the conference. Smith is now 5-9 on the season and 1-1 in NEWMAC play. Coast Guard dropped the first game 6-2 and won the second 9-5.

GAME ONE-- SMITH 6 COAST GUARD 2
Mariah Dewey and Lillia Farlow each had an RBI for Coast Guard.

The Bears took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third as Dewey had an RBI double. In the bottom of the fourth, Farlow hit a home run to give Coast Guard a 2-0 lead.

In the top of the fifth, Smith scored five runs to take a 5-2 lead. Molly Taketa had a three-run triple to take a 3-2 lead followed by an RBI single for Piper Corey and an RBI triple for Juno Shantz.

Taylor Ang added a home run for the Pioneers in the top of the sixth for the 6-2 final.

Maegan Osborn had the win for Smith on the mound with three strikeouts. Isabelle Shroyer went the distance for the Bears with nine strikeouts.

GAME TWO-- COAST GUARD 9 SMITH 5
Dewey had a game-high five RBI's and three hits to lead Coast Guard to its first NEWMAC win. Kayla Yoshioka Montalvo and Farlow each had an RBI in the win for the Bears.

Corey had two RBI's and Taketa added one RBI for Smith in the loss.

Smith got on the board first in the bottom of the first inning, taking a 2-0 lead. The Bears cut the deficit to 2-1 in the bottom of the second.

In the bottom of the second, Farlow had an RBI single to tie the game 2-2.

The Pioneers scored three runs in the top of the fourth, taking a 5-2 lead.

Coast Guard scored four more in the bottom of the fourth, taking a 6-5 lead. Dewey had a two-run double to tie the game and took the 6-5 lead.

In the bottom of the sixth, Dewey put the game away as she had a three-run double, giving the Bears the 9-5 lead.

Amanda Moore handled the pitching duties in the win for the Bears with seven strikeouts.

The Bears are back in action on Tuesday, April 5 on the road at Wesleyan in a doubleheader starting at 3 PM.