BOSTON – The Norwich University softball team split another Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) doubleheader vs. Emmanuel College on Wednesday evening at Roberto Clemente Field.

Emmanuel (13-10, 5-3 GNAC) took the opener 4-3, but Norwich (6-12, 6-2 GNAC) rebounded for a 6-4 win in Game 2 to salvage the split and maintain its hold on second place in the league standings.

Sophomore Kassy Kazimierczak (Adams, Mass.) hit two home runs, while senior Angie Hershberger (Felton, Calif.) added another on the night to lead the Cadets' offense.

In the opener, Norwich fell behind 4-0 after the first inning and was never able to recover despite Kazimierczak hitting her first of two home runs on the day for a two-run shot. Freshman Mallori Cesario (Bradenton, Fla.) also went 2-for-3 to help lead the Cadets' offense in Game 1.

Emmanuel took advantage of a Norwich error in the first inning that led to three unearned runs with Olivia Burgos' two-run double highlighting the four-run, four-hit inning.

Freshman pitcher Emily Oliver (Sagamore Hills, Ohio) was brilliant the rest of the way, surrendering just three more hits and no runs while walking one and striking out three. The loss snapped a three-game winning streak by Oliver.

Emmanuel ace Jill Kilcoyne picked up the victory to improve to 9-5 on the season. She fanned six NU hitters, giving up three runs on six hits.

Norwich took command of Game 2 from the top of the first inning with Hershberger launched her second home run of the season for a three-run shot to give the Cadets a 3-0 lead that they would never look back from.

Kazimierczak added another two-run home run in the top of the fourth inning to take a 5-1 lead. Emmanuel added three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, but it was too little too late.

Freshman pitcher Rachel Johnson (Stockbridge, Vt.) picked up her third win in her last four starts with a complete game four-hitter to improve to 3-7 on the year. She walked three and struck out seven. Johnson ranks third in the GNAC in strikeouts in league games with 33.

Norwich now faces a crucial six-game stretch with three GNAC home doubleheaders against Albertus Magnus (Apr. 16), Johnson & Wales (Apr. 17) and Suffolk (Apr. 19). All three teams currently sit in the top five in the GNAC standings.