SAINTS STUN SUFFOLK IN GNAC SOFTBALL SWEEP

BOSTON, Mass. – The Emmanuel College softball team picked up a pair of Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC victories over Suffolk University Friday evening at Roberto Clemente Field. The Saints captured the first game, 3-2, before posting a 5-1 win in game two. With the wins, EC improves to 16-14 overall and 11-9 in GNAC play while the losses drop the Rams to 22-8 and 16-4. It was also the first time that Suffolk lost both games in a GNAC twinbill all season.

GAME 1

Junior second baseman Kerrianne Vulpis (East Rockaway, N.Y.) belted a three-run home run to power the Saints to a huge 3-2 GNAC victory over the top team in the conference standings.

Following two scoreless innings, the Saints got things started in the third as freshman catcher Charlotte Powers (Peabody, Mass.) led off the inning with a double down the left field line. Junior shortstop Catherine Davis (Wethersfield, Conn.) drew a two-out walk to keep the inning alive before Vulpis delivered the big blow. With the count at one and one, Vulpis took a high fastball to dead centerfield, clearing the fence for her second blast of the season to give Emmanuel the 3-0 lead.

Sophomore pitcher Jill Kilcoyne made the lead hold up, dominating the Rams line up for most of the contest. Kilcoyne went the distance allowing six hits and two runs, both unearned, while striking out eight for her ninth victory of the season.

The Rams threatened to extend the game in the top of the seventh inning as freshman left fielder Elissa Mogauro (Pelham, N.H.) opened the action with a leadoff walk. After moving to second on a passed ball, Mogauro scooted over to third as freshman right fielder Devlin Frost (Tewksbury, Mass.) reached via an Emmanuel miscue to put both runners in scoring position with one out. Kilcoyne was able to induce an infield pop out to give the Saints two outs in the inning before Suffolk freshman second baseman Madison Eucalitto (Old Saybrook, Conn.) delivered a two-RBI single to left to make it a 3-2 contest. Kilcoyne was able to strand Eucalitto at first to end the game with a line out, handing the Rams just their third GNAC loss of the season.

Frost and Eucalitto ended the game with two hits apiece for the Rams while Vulpis finished the game 2-for-3 with three RBI.

Senior Sarah Chasse (Salem, Mass.) suffered the loss for Suffolk, hurling three innings and allowing three runs on three hits while striking out two. Freshman Ali Yamakaitis (Avenel, N.J.) worked the final three innings, allowing no runs on no hits while striking out two.

GAME 2

EC got on the board with a run in the first to take an early 1-0 lead on an RBI single to right by sophomore outfielder Erin Walsh (Granby, Conn.), knocking in Davis for the lead.

The Rams threated in the second, loading the bases with two outs but Emmanuel sophomore pitcher Samantha Adams (Sanford, Maine) was able to work out of the jam to strand the bases loaded and preserve the 1-0 cushion.

A four-run fourth inning bumped the hosts lead up to 5-0 as the Saints scored all four runs with two outs. Davis delivered a two-RBI single to left center after battling in a nine pitch at bat to give the Saints a 3-0 lead. Next up, Vulpis singled to drive in a run to make it 4-0 and Davis came around to score the fifth run on an RBI single by freshman third baseman Abbey Alexiades (Kingston, Mass.).

Suffolk got on the board in the top of the fifth with a two-out run of its own. Frost connected on a double to left center and would score on an RBI single by sophomore Kristen Young (Windsor, Conn.), making it a 5-1 game.

The Saints threatened to open the game up in the bottom of the fifth, loading the bases with just one out but on again in relief, Yamakaitis retired the side striking out Davis to end the inning and leave them loaded.

Adams made the lead hold up, going the distance and scattering six hits to earn her fourth win of the year in the circle. Rookie hurler Kathleen Slavin (Rocky Hill, Conn.) took the loss for Suffolk and falls to 8-3 on the year.

The Saints wrap up their regular season tomorrow afternoon in a GNAC twinbill against Lasell College beginning at 12:00 PM at Clemente Field while the Rams are back in action on the road, playing Saint Joseph's College (ME) in a key GNAC showdown that could determine the top seed heading into next week's GNAC tournament.