EMMANUEL SOFTBALL SWEEPS RIVIER

BOSTON, Mass. -  The Emmanuel College Softball team took a pair of Great Northeast Conference wins off familiar foe Rivier University Thursday evening at Roberto Clemente Field.  The Saints won Game 1 9-1 and Game 2 10-2, both games wrapped up in five innings.  Emmanuel now stands 9-11 and 6-2 in GNAC play while Rivier drops to 8-14 and 2-8.

GAME 1 – 9-1, EC (5 inn.)

Emmanuel got on the board with a run in the first to jump out to an early 1-0 lead. Sophomore catcher Casey Sheehan (Medway, Mass.) got the action started with a two-out ground rule double to right and came around to score on an RBI double by senior first baseman Susie Kieselback (Wethersfield, Conn.) after the Raiders chose to intentionally walk sophomore third baseman Ashley Skey (Brookline, N.H.).

The Saints went back to work in the second scoring three runs to increase the lead to 4-0. Sophomore centerfielder Olivia Burgos (Newington, Conn.) belted a two-run homer to make it 3-0 before freshman shortstop Sydney Rogers (Southwick, Mass.) connected on a triple to right. Rogers came around to score on a Raider miscue to account for the 4-0 score.

Rivier answered with a run in the third to get on the board and cut the EC lead to 4-1. Sophomore left fielder Mikayla Ramsdell (Salem, N.H.) led off the frame with a double to center and came around to score on an RBI single off the bat of sophomore catcher Evelyn Susko (Hudson, N.H.).

EC got the run back and more in the bottom half of the frame to go ahead 6-1. Kieselback belted her second double in as many at bats and came around on an RBI fielder's choice by senior Kara Madden (Silver Spring, Md.) to make it 5-1. Sophomore Megan Kieselback (Wethersfield, Conn.) scored the other Emmanuel run in the inning, reaching on a single and coming around to score on another RBI fielder's choice, this time by freshman outfielder Sarah Hoisl (West Hartford, Conn.).

Skey blasted a two-run shot in the fourth to bump the score to 8-1 before an RBI single up the middle by Madden made it 9-1.

Emmanuel senior pitcher Jill Kilcoyne (Worcester, Mass.) made it hold up retiring the side in the fifth to end the game at 9-1. Kilcoyne scattered four hits while striking out eight to improve to 5-4 on the year in the circle. Rivier freshman Taylor Rowsell (Chelmsford, Mass.) suffered the loss and falls to 1-3 on the season.

GAME 2 – 10-2, EC (5 inn.)

Following two scoreless innings, Rivier opened the action in the third with a pair of runs to go ahead 2-0. Senior Shaylyn Freitas (Pelham, N.H.) and Rowsell connected on back-to-back RBI singles to knock in the run and put the visitors on top early.

The Saints got one back in the bottom of the third to cut the lead in half on an RBI double by Rogers to make it 2-1 and tied the score at 2-2 in the fourth on an RBI single to left by Skey, plating Sheehan who previously reached on a double. The inning continued and Madden gave EC a 4-2 lead connecting on a two-RBI double to right-center before Burgos made it 5-2 with an RBI double to center.  An unearned run made it 6-2 and freshman Kerry Sendrick (Medway, Mass.) then blasted a two-run shot to right to account for an 8-2 score through four innings of play.

In the fifth, Madden connected on another RBI double to give the Saints a 9-2 lead before Hoisl drove in the game's final run to account for a 10-2 final.

M. Kieselback earned the win in relief tossing three innings to improve to 3-5 on the year while Rivier freshman Kendall Stanton (Rochester, N.H.) falls to 3-4 in the circle.

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Saints return to action on Saturday, April 15 when they play host to conference opponent University of Saint Joseph (CT) for another doubleheader.  Rivier will host Suffolk on Monday, April 14 in a GNAC twinbill.