SAINTS OUTLAST BEARS IN SPRING BREAK FINALE, 14-8

CLERMONT, Fla. – The Emmanuel College softball team wrapped up its Spring Break trip with a 14-8 victory over Coast Guard Academy during Day 5 action at the National Training Center games at Hancock Park. The Saints improve to 6-4 on the trip while the Bears fall to 4-4 overall.

EC took advantage of two errors by the Bears in the top of the first, scoring two unearned runs to jump in front 2-0. Freshman designated player Ashley Skey (Brookline, N.H.) had an RBI in the inning as did junior right fielder Erin Walsh (Granby, Conn.), coming on an RBI single to drive in Emmanuel's second run.

Coast Guard responded immediately with a run in the bottom of the first. Freshman second baseman Emily Hogan (Pittsburgh, Pa) lead off with an infield single and would come around to score on an RBI double to right center by junior left fielder Cherokee Strickland (Vancleave, Miss) to cut the lead to 2-1.

Emmanuel continued to keep the pressure on, plating three more runs in the second to go ahead 5-1. An RBI double off the centerfield fence by senior shortstop Catherine Davis (Wethersfield, Conn.) made it 3-1. The Saints added an unearned run to make it 4-1 and Davis would come around to score to make it 5-1 on an RBI single up the middle by freshman pitcher Megan Kieselback (Wethersfield, Conn.).

The Saints pushed another unearned run across in the third inning to bump the lead to 6-1 but a towering two-run homer to left in the bottom half of the frame by sophomore centerfielder Emma Hvozdovich (Palm Harbor, Fla.) cut the lead to 6-3.

In the bottom of the fourth Hvozdovich connected on another bomb, this time a three-run shot to deep centerfield to even the score at 6-6.

EC got the runs back in the top of the fifth, scoring four to regain the lead at 10-6. Junior first baseman Susie Kieselback (Wethersfield, Conn.) answered Hvozdovich's towering shot with a round-tripper of her own, going deep to centerfield with a three-run blast to account for three of the runs in the frame.

In the sixth, Emmanuel added two insurance runs to bump the lead to 12-6. Davis drove in the 11^th run with a sac fly to right and freshman catcher Casey Sheehan's (Medway, Mass.) RBI single made it 12-6.

The Bears matched in the bottom of the sixth, scoring twice on a two-RBI double by freshman designated player Kelli Franza (Roseto, Pa.) to pull to within four run at 12-8. However, the Saints got the two right back in the seventh to make it 14-8.

M. Kieselback closed the door on CGA in the final frame to propel the Saints to the 14-8 win. Kieselback earned the win in relief, tossing the final 3 2/3 innings allowing two runs to improve to 2-0 on the year. Coast Guard sophomore Emily Dow (Topsfield, Mass.) suffered the loss for the Bears and falls to 1-1 on the season.

Emmanuel returns to action on Thursday, March 24 for their home opener against Wentworth Institute of Technology for a doubleheader beginning at 6:30 PM.