SOFTBALL SPLITS WITH NORWICH IN COACHES VS. CANCER GAMES

BOSTON, Mass. – Emmanuel College earned its third-consecutive double-header softball split this weekend.  The Saints were topped Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) foe Norwich University, 8-2, in game one and rebounded for a 10-1 win in game two.  With the split, Emmanuel is now 14-17 overall and 6-10 in league play.  The Cadets stand at 14-12 on the season and 9-7 in GNAC action.

The double-header marked Emmanuel's "Coaches vs. Cancer" games.  Both, the Saints and the Cadets donned pink uniforms in recognition of those battling and affected by cancer. The Emmanuel Softball Team raised close to $2,500.00, which will be donated directly to the American Cancer Society.

GAME ONE:

The Cadets didn't waste much time, jumping out to a three-run lead after their first at-bat. Norwich scored three runs off of four hits, including a double by junior second-baseman Melissa Rome (Enfield, Conn.) and a two-run single from senior first-baseman Erin Clark (Newbury, Vt.) and the visitors led 3-0.

Emmanuel rebounded in the bottom of the second when freshman first-baseman Susie Kieselback (Wethersfield, Conn.) opened with a lead-off single and senior catcher Julia Levins (Uxbridge, Mass.) reached on a dribbler through the infield.  Following a pair of Saints' strike-outs, sophomore shortstop Catherine Davis (Wethersfield, Conn.) stepped to the plate and smashed a two RBI double into left-center, scoring Kieselback and Levins and Emmanuel trailed 3-2 after two.

Norwich tacked on another run in the top of the third, following four-consecutive singles.  Senior shortstop Abby Belcher (Winthrop, Mass.) opened with a hit, followed by Clark, who scored Belcher.  Taylor Morris (Haverhill, N.H.) and Justina George (Wallingford, Conn.) also recorded singles, but were left on base.  The Saints went down quickly in the bottom of the side and the Cadets led 4-2 after three.

Norwich kicked off the fourth with a ground-rule double from Briana Day (Yelm, Wash.). Belcher ripped a two-out double over the Saints' centerfielder's head, scoring Day and Rome, who had reached on a single, and pushing the Cadets out in front, 6-2. Clark then singled to score Belcher and Norwich held a 7-2 advantage heading into the bottom of the fourth.

The Saints were sat down 1-2-3 in the fifth and Norwich capitalized with another run in the sixth.  Payton Warner (Harwich, Mass.) led off with a ground-rule double and was moved around by Rome's RBI single.  The Saints got out of a late sixth inning bases-loaded situation and the Cadets came away with only one run, to take an 8-2 lead.

Emmanuel left two runners on in the bottom of the sixth and despite a Norwich double from Kelly Travers (Haverhill, Mass.), the Cadets were held scoreless in the top of the seventh.

Sophomore pitcher Val Kiers (West Warwick, R.I.) took the loss for the Saints, dropping to 4-5 on the season.  Kiers threw four innings, giving up 13 hits and 7 runs.  Freshman Samantha Adams (Sanford, Me.) relieved Kiers in the fifth, giving up 3 hits and one earned run.  The two combined for four strikeouts on the day.

Junior Corinne Baita (Rochester, N.H.) earned the win in the circle for the Cadets.  Baita gave up five hits and struck out seven of her 29 batters faced on the day.

The Saints turned the tides on the Cadets in game two, opening up with a nine-run first inning and leading throughout, before pulling away with a 10-1 win after five innings.  Norwich once again got on the board first, when Travers singled to left and was driven in by Belcher's RBI hit to right.  The Saints got out of the first with a 1-run, 2-hit performance by Norwich and this would be the Cadets' lone run in game two.

Emmanuel's nine-run bottom of the first came off of seven hits, as the Saints batted one and a half times through the order.  Davis kicked off the spree with a lead-off single to right and advanced to second on the play.  Freshman outfielder Brenna Gilmore (San Carlos, Calif.) knocked Davis in with her RBI single to right. Adams walked and Jennifer Garrity (Lynn, Mass.) singled to load the bases. Kieselback hit an RBI single to right, scoring Marianne Halas (Lynn, Mass.) and the bases remained jammed.  Kara Madden (Silver Spring, Md.) picked up an RBI, as she walked.  Levins followed with RBI single.  Davis walked with the bases still loaded to score Madden.  Kerianne Vulpis (East Rockaway, N.Y.) earned an RBI single and Adams punched in two runs with her single to centerfield.  Before it was over, the Saints held a 9-1 lead after one.

The second and third innings were played scoreless.  Vulpis made an incredible back-handed stab for a diving catch in the top of the fourth to sit the Cadets down in three-straight outs.  In the bottom of the side, the Saints were able to tack on one more run.  Halas led off with a hit up the middle, followed by Adams' second single to centerfield.  Kieselback drove in Halas and the Saints led 10-1.  Three quick Norwich outs in the fifth ended the contest early and Emmanuel pulled out the 10-1 win in the nightcap.

Freshman pitched Jill Kilcoyne (Worcester, Mass.) picked up her 8th win of the season, improving to 8-6 overall.  Kilcoyne fanned four of her 17 batters faced and gave up the one earned run.  Kaylie Miller (Long Lake, N.Y.) took the loss for the Cadets, giving up 10 runs (7 earned) off of 11 hits.

Emmanuel will play again this Wednesday, April 16th, when the Saints take on Simmons College.  The GNAC double-header will begin at 3:00 PM at Mount Ida College.  Norwich will host Plymouth State in a non-conference tilt on Wednesday at 3:00 PM.