MONKS EDGE SAINTS FOR GNAC SOFTBALL SWEEP

BOSTON, Mass. – Saint Joseph's College held on to complete a two-game sweep of Emmanuel College in the opening games of Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) softball action, played at Roberto Clemente Field on Friday night.  The Monks shutout the Saints in the opener, 5-0, before battling back from a two-run deficit to take game two, 4-2.  The pair of victories improve the Monks' record to 10-2 overall and 2-0 in the league, while Emmanuel falls to 6-9 on the season and 0-2 in GNAC play.

Game 1:

The Saints held the Monks scoreless through three innings, but Saint Joseph's got on the board in the top of the fourth, when Emmanuel walked the lead-off batter and Theresa Hendrix (Scarborough, Me.) drove Lindsay Moore (Barrington, N.H.) home with an RBI double to centerfield.  Hendrix would later score on an EC overthrow to first and the Monks held a 2-0 lead after four.

Emmanuel's sophomore shortstop Catherine Davis (Wethersfield, Conn.) led off the bottom of the fourth with a double to center, the Saints' only hit of the contest, but the Monks retired the side with three pop-outs and left Davis stranded on second.

The Monks tacked on two more runs in the top of the sixth.  Moore began the inning with her second hit of the night, a single to centerfield.  Hendrix walked and stole second. Melissa Mayhew (Hiram, Me.) would drive in the run and moved Hendrix over to third.  Megan Pollini (Wolfeboro, N.H.) drove in Hendrix to put the Monks up, 4-0.

The Saints went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the side, before St. Joseph's added one final run to their tally in the top of the seventh.  Again, the Monks reached on a lead-off walk.  Kim Jordan (Bangor, Me.) singled and an outfield error scored Carla Tripp (Lovell, Me.) for the Monks' fifth run.  Emmanuel was held hitless again in their final at-bat and the visitors closed out the 5-0 win.

Senior pitcher Rae-Marie Copan (Newton, Mass.) earned the shutout in the circle for St. Joe's.  Copan went the distance, throwing a one-hitter and striking out six. 

Sophomore Val Kiers (West Warwick, R.I.) took the loss for the Saints, giving up two hits and two runs (one earned) in her five innings pitched.  Freshman Samantha Adams (Sanford, Me.) relieved Kiers for the final two innings, giving up four hits and three runs (two earned).

Game 2:

The nightcap saw the Saints return with renewed vengeance, as Emmanuel quickly jumped out to a one-run lead in the first inning.  Davis got the Saints out in front, when she reached on a walk and was moved to third on Jennifer Garrity's (Lynn, Mass.) single to right.  With a first and third situation and Cassey LePage (Somerset, Mass.) caught in a run down, Davis stole home and put the hosts up 1-0.

Emmanuel notched another run in the second, to charge out to a 2-0 lead.  Julia Levins (Uxbridge, Mass.) walked and was advanced to second by Marianne Halas' (Lynn, Mass.) grounder to third. The senior catcher was then moved into scoring position on third base after a throwing error on the same play.  Vulpis stepped to the plate and hit an RBI fly to right. Levins tagged and scored on the play and the Saints took a two-run lead.

Strong defense by the hosts and stellar pitching by freshman hurler Jill Kilcoyne (Worcester, Mass.) held the Monks hitless through five innings.  In the top of the sixth, St. Joe's was able to load the bases, but only managed one run.  Connie Grovo (Limington, Me.), Moore and Danica Gleason (South Portland, Me.) all singled to put three runners on for the Monks.  Hendrix drove in Grovo for her second RBI of the night and St. Joe's trailed 2-1.

The Saints left a runner on in the sixth and the Monks returned to the plate for their final at-bat.  Kilcoyne fanned the first batter and Megan Harrison (Buxton, Me.) grounded out to short to give the Emmanuel two outs.  With the Saints poised for victory, Tripp was walked to give the Monks some hope.  Jordan then smashed a deep fly ball to left field and it was dropped, scoring Tripp for the game-tying run.  Grovo singled to right, scoring Jordan for the go-ahead run.  Moore then reached on another outfield error and Grovo scored to give the Monks the 4-2 win.

Junior pitcher Laura Jordan (Orrington, Me.) notched the win for the Monks, giving up five hits and one earned run in her 6.2 innings pitched.  Hendrix retired the Saints' final batter to notch the save for St. Joe's.

Kilcoyne suffered the loss for EC, but struck out 9 batters and gave up just four hits and one earned run.

Emmanuel will play at Lasell College on Saturday.  The start time for this GNAC double-header has been pushed up to 11:00 AM in Newton, Mass.  St. Joseph's will remain in Boston, playing at Suffolk University tomorrow in an 11:00 AM start.