NORTHFIELD, Vt. - The Norwich University softball team closed out its 2026 season on Saturday afternoon at the NU Softball Field, falling to Regis College in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Senior Day doubleheader by scores of 10-2 and 14-5.
Despite the results, the Cadets finished the year with 12 victories and continued to show offensive flashes, while also celebrating senior
Grace Richardson (Phoenix, Ariz.) prior to game one for her contributions to the program. A former team manager turned student-athlete, Richardson also balanced a dual-sport collegiate career as a member of both the softball and rifle programs.
Madison DeCota (Strafford, N.H.),
Courtney Thomas (Strafford, N.H.),
Ellie Laroche (Essex, Vt.),
Emily Munson (Angleton, Texas),
Jessica Zalucki (Burnt Hills, N.Y.), and
Josephine Whitney (Holbrook, Mass.) all produced multi-hit efforts during the twin bill, as Norwich collected 17 hits across the two contests.
Game 1: Regis 10, Norwich 2
After a scoreless opening two innings, Regis broke through in the third with three runs to seize control. The Pride added to the lead in the fifth with another three-run frame before extending the margin further in the sixth and seventh.
Norwich broke onto the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth. Laroche came around to score on an RBI single through the left side from Munson, trimming the deficit to 8-1.
The Cadets added one more in the seventh when
Charlii Carbajal Sanchez (Broomfield, Colo.) scored on a single up the middle by Thomas, but Regis held firm from there to secure the opener.
Norwich finished with 11 hits in the game, led by Zalucki, DeCota, Thomas, Laroche, and Munson, who each recorded two-hit performances. Munson and Thomas drove in the Cadets' two runs, while Carbajal Sanchez and Laroche both scored.
Game 2: Regis 14, Norwich 5
The second game quickly turned into a high-scoring battle, with Regis erupting for nine runs in the top of the first inning to take early command.
Norwich answered immediately with a strong response in the bottom half. Thomas ripped a two-run double to left to plate Carbajal Sanchez and Zalucki, before
Abbigale Williams (Andover, Vt.) followed with an RBI single up the middle to score Thomas. Later in the inning, Whitney doubled home both Williams and Laroche, pulling the Cadets back within 9-5.
Regis added three more runs in the second and continued to build separation over the next two innings, eventually reaching the final 14-5 margin.
Whitney paced Norwich in the nightcap, going 2-for-2 with a double and two RBIs. Thomas added a double and two RBIs, while Williams chipped in a hit and an RBI. Zalucki, Laroche, and Carbajal Sanchez each scored, helping Norwich produce another early offensive burst.
Saturday's doubleheader marked the conclusion of the 2026 campaign for Norwich, which closes the spring with a 12-19 overall record. Along the way, the Cadets delivered several memorable performances, including historic offensive outbursts and a number of strong individual efforts that helped define the season.
