JWU Downs Softball 6-2 to Claim 2022 GNAC Softball Crown

THE BASICS 
#2S Johnson & Wales University, 6
#1N Emmanuel College, 2

Records: 
Johnson & Wales Wildcats (36-6)
Emmanuel Saints (26-12)

Location: Boston, Mass. – Roberto Clemente Field

Date: Sunday, May 8, 2022

THE LEAD – Johnson & Wales University defeated host Emmanuel College, 6-2, to claim the 2022 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Softball Championship on Sunday afternoon at Roberto Clemente Field in Boston, Mass. Senior second basemen Kaelani Gamble (Vancouver, Wash.) was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player for the Wildcats batting .455 with three home runs, six RBI and four runs scored in the GNAC tournament.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Gamble gave JWU an early 1-0 lead with her third home run in as many games, shooting an opposite field solo blast in the second inning plate the game's first run.
• Emmanuel answered in the bottom of the second as senior first basemen Grace Orcutt (Lexington, Mass.) scored the tying run during a rundown between first and second to knot the score at 1-1.
• Johnson & Wales took the lead for good in the top of the third as senior third basemen Jill Pulek (Cheshire, Conn.) delivered an RBI single through the left side to make it 2-1 before Pulek came around to score on an RBI double down the right field line by Gamble to move the lead to 3-1.
• The Wildcats added an unearned insurance run in the sixth to bump the lead to 4-1 but the Saints showed signed of life in the bottom half of the frame with back-to-back singles by senior Kiana Hinson (Whittier, Calif.) and first year Abigail Farr (Windsor Locks, Conn.) to put the tying run at the plate with only one out. Similar to the second inning, Emmanuel was able to plate a run with the help of a pickle but the Wildcats cut down the second out of the inning to thwart any chance of a big inning as Hinson scored the second run to move the score to 4-2.
• JWU began to smell the title in the seventh, scoring two more unearned runs thanks to a pair of Emmanuel miscues, making it a 6-2 game heading into the Saints final at-bat. First year pitcher Kathleen Scheid (Hightstown, N.J.) retired EC in order to secure the 2022 GNAC crown for the Wildcats.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Scheid picked up the win allowing the two runs (one earned) on just four hits while striking out a pair to improve to 9-3 on the year.
• EC junior Tianna Dawe (Peabody, Mass.) fell to the Wildcats for the second time in as many games, surrendering six runs (three earned) on nine hits over 7.0 innings of work, recording three K's to end the year with a 14-7 record.
• Pulek, Gamble and first year Mackenzie Clee (Warminster, Penn.) each collected two hits in the win while Gamble also drew a pair of walks to reach base safely in all four plate appearances.
• EC first-year Madison Marks (Edgewater Park, N.J.) and junior Julyanne Pacheco (Somerset, Mass.) were the other two Emmanuel hits on the day.
• Emmanuel committed four errors on the day and is now 2-6 on the season when committing three or more miscues and 0-2 with seven errors in the GNAC tourney vs. JWU.
• The Wildcats take the all-time series lead with the win at 25-24 vs. the Saints in 49 career meetings.

UP NEXT

• Johnson & Wales advances to the 2022 NCAA Division III Softball tournament and will find out their opponent on Monday, May 9 during the NCAA's selection show.
• Emmanuel wraps the 2022 campaign with an overall record of 26-12.

2022 GNAC All-Tournament Team

Allie Mulhern – Simmons University
Maddie Castigliego – Simmons University
Olivia Howe – Saint Joseph's College (ME)
Lydia Goodnough – Saint Joseph's College (ME)
Olivia Conti – Emmanuel College
Abigail Farr – Emmanuel College
Tianna Dawe – Emmanuel College
Julia Huzi – Johnson & Wales University
Jilly Pulek – Johnson & Wales University
Kathleen Scheid – Johnson & Wales University
MVP – Kaelani Gamble – Johnson & Wales University