FALCONS EDGE SAINTS IN GNAC TWINBILL

BOSTON, Mass. – Emmanuel College dropped a pair of Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) games to Albertus Magnus College, 6-5 and 4-2, in a softball double-header played under the lights on Roberto Clemente Field on Thursday night.  With the two losses, the Saints evened their record to 14-14 overall and 9-9 in conference play, while the Falcons improved to 19-10 on the year and 13-4 in the league with the pair of Ws.

Game One:

Albertus Magnus opened up the scoring in the top of the second, when Carli Matrisian (Milford, Conn.) reached on an infield error and would ultimately score on a wild pitch.  The Saints were able to recover and knot things up at 1-all in the bottom of the side, when sophomore first-baseman Susie Kieselback (Wethersfield, Conn.) hit a solo shot over the fence in right-centerfield.

The Saints then scored two more runs off of three hits in the third to take a 3-1 lead.  A single from Marianne Halas (Lynn, Mass.) and double from Catherine Davis (Wethersfield, Conn.) gave the Saints second and third, before rookie third-baseman Abbey Alexiades (Kingston, Mass.) stepped to the plate and smashed a 2RBI double.

EC would carry their two-run lead into the fourth, before adding two more runs to their total.  Erin Walsh (Granby, Conn.) opened the fourth with the single to left and Cassey LePage (Somerset, Mass.) followed with a single to center, before rookie catcher Charlotte Powers (Peabody, Mass.) drove in Walsh with an RBI single up the left-field line.  Freshman Brooke Ames (Boylston, Mass.) then reached on a bunt and loaded the bases for the Saints.  Halas hit a shot to center that scored LePage and the Saints held a 5-1 lead after four.

The Falcons would combine to score five runs over the fifth and sixth innings to charge back out in front, 6-5, while holding the Saints hitless over the two innings.

Sophomore first-baseman Amanda Jessey (East Haven, Conn.) kicked the fifth inning off with a double and Gillian Fortier (Naugatuck, Conn.) followed with an RBI single for the visitors.  Jessey was then driven in by Melissa Castillo (Taftville, Conn.) to set the score at 5-3.  The Saints went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the side, before the Falcons followed with three runs in the sixth, including the go-ahead, to earn the 6-5 win.

Freshman pitcher Megan Ferraro (Branford, Conn.) earned the win in the circle for the Falcons, improving to 7-4 on the season.  Ferraro gave up 11 hits and struck out four with zero walks.  Sophomore pitcher Jill Kilcoyne (Worcester, Mass.) took the loss for the Saints, giving up 12 hits, but striking out seven and walking one.

Game Two:

The Saints led early again in game two, but were not able to hold on.  Emmanuel scored a run in both the first and second innings to charge out to a 2-0 lead through three.

In their first at-bats of game two, Davis smashed a lead-off sing to left and she was sent home on a single by Kieselback.  In the bottom of the second, Halas singled to right and was then driven in on an RBI double by Davis, as the junior captain notched her fourth hit of the night.

Albertus got on the board in the fourth, when Fortier drilled a lead-off homer to left.  The Saints were quiet in the bottom of the frame, but still held a 2-1 lead.

The Falcons scored two runs in the fifth, but the scoring was stopped, when Kerrianne Vulpis (East Rockaway, N.Y.) made a diving catch on a liner to second.  Albertus then sat the Saints down quickly in the bottom of the fifth, as Fortier made three-consecutive catches on fly balls to right and the Falcons took their 3-2 edge into the sixth.

Seventh inning opened with Alyssa Puccilli (Milford, Conn.) bouncing one over the centerfield fence for a ground rule double.  Fortier then double up the middle to score Puccilli and the visitors came away with the 4-2 win.

Sophomore pitcher Samantha Adams (Sanford, Maine) dealt the loss for the Saints, dropping to 3-7 on the season.  Adams fanned six, gave up six hits and walked a pair.  Rookie hurler Samantha Maselli (Rockville Centre, N.Y.) earned her 11th win of the season in the circle for the Falcons, improving to 11-1 on the season with the victory.

Emmanuel is back in action again tomorrow night (4/17), when the Saints host Suffolk University in a GNAC double-header set to begin at 6:30 PM on Clemente Field.  Albertus Magnus will host Mount Ida College on Saturday (4/18) in a GNAC double-header with the first pitch slated for 3:00 PM.