PURCHASE, N.Y. - The Purchase College softball team lost twice Tuesday, falling to Western Connecticut State, 12-1 and 7-4, in a pair non-conference matchups.

The defeats pushed the Panthers to 5-11 overall, while the Colonials of Western Connecticut improved to 10-6 on the year.

In the opening game, the guests struck quickly with three runs in the first. Purchase was able to get a run back in the bottom half of the frame, as Cassidy Montes (SO/Yonkers, NY) drove in Victoria Capone-Froio (SR/Yonkers, NY) after her leadoff double with a sacrifice fly.

From there however, the bats of the Panthers were silenced, while the Colonial bats were just getting started. Western Connecticut proceeded to tally five runs in the third, one in the fourth and three in the fifth, as the team romped to an eventual, 12-1, victory in five innings.

Alyssa Lionetti (FR/Brookfield, CT) earned the win for the guests. She pitched four innings and allowed just the one run on three hits.

For Purchase, Kelly Agostini (SO/Centereach, NY) was tagged with the loss. Capone-Froio, Agostini and Mae Testa Feliciano (FR/Brooklyn, NY) collected one hit each in the effort. 

In game two, the Panthers got the start they were looking for, when Kelly Hayes (SR/Staten Island, NY) drove in Capone-Froio on a fielder's choice in the first inning. The score remained 1-0 in favor of the hosts until the top of the third, when the Colonials managed three runs in the frame. 

After a scoreless bottom of the third for Purchase, Western Connecticut came out in the fourth and added three more runs to their lead, as the guests pushed their advantage to 6-1.

The Panthers didn't go down without a fight though, as they cut the lead in half with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth.

Following a bunt single from Feliciano, which got Hayes to second, an error on the throw allowed Hayes to score from second and make it 6-2. A few batters later, Daniella Edelson (SR/Hopewell Junction, NY) singled in Feliciano to get Purchase even closer.

The fifth inning saw the two squads trade runs, as a Colonial RBI double was mitigated by a pinch hit single from Iyania Martin (SO/Queens Bridge, NY) in the bottom half of the frame, making it a 7-4 game.  

After a scoreless sixth inning, the Panthers fought until the very end in the bottom of the seventh, as the hosts got runners on first and second with two outs. However, Western Connecticut collected the final out it needed to preserve the road win and sweep the day.

Angelina Miller (JR/Holbrook, NY) received the win for the Colonials. She pitched 4 2/3 innings, collected six strikeouts and gave up four runs on six hits. Lionetti, following her game one win, came in in relief in game two to earn the save. She tossed 2 1/3 innings of shutout softball and allowed just three hits. 

For Purchase, Montes finished with the loss. She threw a 7-inning complete game and allowed seven runs (four earned) on eight hits. She also fanned six. Capone-Froio and Hayes each collected two hits apiece in the effort. 

Up next for the Panthers is a return to Skyline Conference action, as the team travels to New York City to take on Yeshiva University in a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 10 a.m. on April 5th and you can follow the contests right here.