SOFTBALL FALLS IN GNAC TOURNEY TO SUFFOLK, 4-2

BOSTON, Mass. – The Suffolk University Softball team defeated Emmanuel College 4-2 in the first round of the 2014 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) championship tournament.

Freshman Emily Martel (East Hartland, Conn.) broke a 2-2 score with a bases loaded single with one out in the sixth to put Suffolk up for good as they advance to this weekend's six-team double elimination tournament.

Suffolk would score a pair of runs in the third inning thanks in large part to a misplayed flyball in center with two outs. Freshman Kristen Young (Windsor, Conn.) drew a base on balls with one out as she was the first Suffolk batter to reach base in the game. With two outs in the inning senior Erin McAndrews (Marblehead, Mass.) lifted a flyball to center that was dropped bringing Young all the way around from first to score the first run of the game. McAndrews would scamper all the way to third when the throw came in over the cutoff. Junior Sarah Chasse (Salem, Mass.) would add an RBI single in the following at bat to help her own cause as she started the game on the mound for the Rams.

Emmanuel would get on the board in the fifth inning when sophomore Catherine Davis (Wethersfield, Conn.) hit a towering home run to left, her fourth of the season to bring in the Saints' first run of the game.

The Saints would threaten more in the sixth as they were able to even the game at two runs a piece. Freshman Samantha Adams (Sanford, Me.) led the inning off with a double off the left field fence and would come around to score when freshman Susie Kieselback (Wethersfield, Conn.) singled back up the middle to tie things up at 2-2.  Freshman Kim Crucioli (North Andover, Mass.) would come in to relieve Chasse on the mound following the game tying single.  After a passed ball would send the go ahead run to second and into scoring position, Crucioli would record the next two outs on back to back strikeouts.  Sophomore Marianne Halas (Lynn, Mass.) would then single to right as Kieselback was held up at third. Halas would steal second to increase the threat but Crucioli would escape any further trouble forcing a flyball to center to get out of the jam.

The Rams would take the lead in the sixth as the first four hitters to come to the plate would all reach safely with base hits. Freshman Anna Grace Maggs (Schenectady, Mass.) got the inning started with a base hit through the left side of the infield, before sophomore Meredith Ball (Nahant, Mass.) beat out a ground ball to short. Freshman Lindsay Pagano (Wyckoff, N.J.) would then pick up her second hit of the afternoon with a single that stayed inside of the left field line to load things up.  Martel would then break the tie with a base hit back up the middle as Maggs came home to score the go ahead run.  Young would add another run with a groundout to third scoring Ball as Suffolk made it a 4-2 game there.

Crucioli would retire the side in order ending the game on her third strikeout of the afternoon in two innings of work. She improves to a 13-7 record on the mound.

Freshman Jill Kilcoyne (Worcester, Mass.) suffered the loss on the mound for the Saints as she went all six innings. Kilcoyne allowed two earned runs on six hits while fanning six Suffolk hitters.

The loss wraps up the 2014 season for Emmanuel College who entered the tournament as the number eight seed. The Saints fall to a 17-21 season record with Tuesday's setback.

With the victory Suffolk improves to a 20-21 mark on the season. The fifth-seeded Rams will now advance into this weekend's six team double elimination tournament. Suffolk will be back in action on Friday afternoon as they take on number four seed University of Saint Joseph. This weekend's tournament will be hosted by St. Joseph's College in Standish, Maine.

*Release courtesy of Suffolk University Sports Information Dept.