MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – The Wesleyan softball team opened the NESCAC slate with a two-game sweep of Bowdoin at home as the Cardinals defeated the Polar Bears 4-3 and 2-0. The Cardinals improve to 12-2 overall and sit 2-0 in league play while the Polar Bears drop to 9-7 overall (0-2 NESCAC).
 
The dynamic pitching duo of Abby Orso G'25 and Jacelyn Lees '28 continued to dominate in the circle, as the tandem combined to allow 0 earned runs as each pitched a complete game in the twinbill. Orso went the full seven innings in game 1 and allowed just four hits with all three runs being unearned while she had five strikeouts. Lees tossed an efficient seven inning shutout, giving up just three hits with no walks and five strikeouts, needing just 81 pitches to record the win.
 
Orso opened game 1 with an escape as Bowdoin had runners on second and third with one out but could not plate any runs as the grad transfer induced a foul out and swinging strikeout to get through the inning unscathed.
 
Wesleyan plated two runs in the 2^nd inning as Cat Palmer '26 drove in Orso with an RBI single to center field. Then Rebecca Cassel-Siskind '26 came through with a run-scoring single to center with the bases loaded and one out to make it 2-0 Wesleyan after two.
 
After Orso stranded two more runners in scoring position in the 4^th inning, Bowdoin got on the board with a three-run 5^th inning. Wesleyan allowed two runs to score on a ground ball to third base and the bases loaded as a throwing error to home scored two. An RBI groundout to first made saw Bowdoin take the 3-2 lead heading into the bottom half.
 
Orso worked a scoreless top of the 6^th inning, setting the stage for the Cardinal comeback in the bottom half. With two outs and no one on, Lees pinch hit and hit a rope to center field for a single. Cassel-Siskind followed with an infield single, setting the stage for Lennon who hit a liner out to left that scored Nicole Celi '27 from second to tie the score at 3-3. Then in the next at-bat, a wild pitch scored Cassel-Siskind from third, who was allowed to advance to third on a fielding error by the Bowdoin left fielder on the Lennon RBI single.
 
Taking a one-run lead into the 7^th, Bowdoin got a leadoff walk and then a sacrifice bunt moved the runner into scoring position. Orso, however, bore down and induced two straight groundouts to Lennon at second base to finish off the come from behind win.
 
Wesleyan outhit Bowdoin 10-4 in game one and saw Lennon, Orso, and Cassel-Siskind each record two hits. All but two starters reached base safely at least once in the win.
 
Game two saw Wesleyan jump out to an early lead once again, as the Cardinals utilized a pair of walks, followed by stolen bases, to set the stage for Palmer who hit a liner out to left field that saw Lennon tag up from third and score on a sacrifice fly.
 
Lees retired the first seven batters she saw in this one and put together another streak of eight straight batters retired between the 3^rd and 6^th innings as the first-year mowed through the Polar Bears' lineup.
 
Wesleyan tacked on another run as Waverly Smart '27 smacked an RBI double to right center with two outs that scored Orso all the way from first and make it 2-0 Cardinals.
 
Bowdoin had just two baserunners reach scoring position in the entire game as Lees worked a perfect 1-2-3 7^th inning to secure the sweep.
 
The Cardinals played an error-free game in the field while Lees picked up another win to improve to 6-0 on the season. Lennon walked three times, singled, and stole a base as she reached base safely in all four plate appearances.
 
Wesleyan has an entire week to prepare for next weekend for a home doubleheader against Bates starting at Noon followed by a Sunday doubleheader at Hamilton.