Worcester, MA --- Nicole Maglione (Charlton, MA) belted three home runs to help WPI earn a split with Clark Friday afternoon in the NEWMAC softball openers for both squads.  The twin-bill, originally scheduled for WPI, was played at Clark due to wet field conditions. 

WPI took the opener 7-0 as pitcher Meghan Kelly (Burlington, MA) allowed just a pair of second-inning singles. The senior fanned five while not allowing a walk on the afternoon.  Kelly improved to 3-1 as she notched her second shutout of the young season.  

Maglione and Briana Dougherty (Woburn, MA) - WPI's one and two hitters - combined to go 7-for-7 with five runs scored and four RBI. Jen Richards (Hampstead, NH) and Shannon O'Connell (Worcester, MA) both added a pair of hits to the Engineers attack.   

Maglione got WPI onto the scoreboard when she led off the bottom of the first with a blast to center field.  After the Engineers added single runs in the next three frames, she highlighted a three-run sixth inning with a two-run blast to left.  

Clark earned the split with a 8-5 victory in the nightcap.   

The Cougars used a two-run single from pitcher Melissa Traft (Milton, MA) to jump out to a 4-0 advantage in the top of the first.  WPI answered right back with a Richards' RBI double and a Nicole DeCampo (Stoneham, MA) run-producing single in the bottom of the first before Maglione tied the game with a two-run shot to right field in the bottom of the third inning.   

The sophomore centerfielder now has six homers in 12 contests this spring. 

Lauren Blake's (Oakland, ME) two-run homer in the fourth proved to be the difference for the Cougars.  Clark added runs with a bases-loaded walk to Heather Warren (Upland, CA) in the sixth and a RBI infield single by Burke in the seventh.  

Traft went the distance in the circle for the Cougars to up her record to 2-1. Heather Hassett (Oxford, MA) dipped to 0-2 with the loss for the Crimson and Gray.

Both teams return to action on Saturday with key NEWMAC doubleheaders.  WPI (6-6, 1-1 NEWMAC) will travel to Coast Guard while Clark (5-7, 1-1) will play host to Wellesley.