Game Two Pitching Duel Favors Saints in Sunday’s Series Split vs. SJC

THE BASICS 

Score: 
Game 1: Saint Joseph's (ME) 4 – Emmanuel 1
Game 2: Emmanuel 1 – Saint Joseph's (ME) 0

Records: 
Emmanuel College Saints (15-13, 6-2 GNAC)
Saint Joseph's College Monks (15-13, 5-1 GNAC)

Location: Boston, Mass. – Roberto Clemente Field

Date: Sunday, April 16, 2023

THE LEAD – Runs were at a premium on Sunday in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference softball doubleheader between the Emmanuel Saints and Saint Joseph's Monks, but after two games, each side walked away with a win, splitting the Sunday games at Clemente Field. For the Saints, it's their third consecutive split series, all happening in the last five days.

HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME 1)

• It was an early lead for the Monks in game one, thanks to a two-out, two-run double in the top of the first. With runners on first and second, SJC junior Lydia Goodnow (Kennebunkport, Maine) drove in a pair with a double to center field, giving the Monks a 2-0 lead.
• The Saints cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the fourth with their two-out score, courtesy of a combination of an infield single by first-year Christyna Winstead (Uncasville, Conn.) and an error on the Monks that helped score sophomore Sammy Hayes (Braintree, Mass.), leaving EC trailing 2-1.
• The Monks answered right back in the top of the fifth with senior Olivia Howe (Arundel, Maine) hitting her first home run of the season, a two-run shot that gave SJC a 4-1 advantage.
• The Saints couldn't manage more than just two runners on base in the final three innings as the Monks took game one of the series, 4-1.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS (GAME 1)

• Howe, who recently joined the 100-hit club at Saint Joseph's, finished 3-for-4 with a home run, two singles, and two RBI.
• In total, eight of the nine starters in the Monks lineup had at least one hit with Howe having the only multi-hit game. Sophomore Sylvia Foley (Scarborough, Maine) and first-year Hannah Gosselin (Biddeford, Maine) were each 1-for-4 with a run scored.
• Senior Meredith Pence (Remington, Va.) pitched a complete game, allowing one unearned run on four hits, striking out five, and improving to 9-2 on the season.
• Saints senior Tianna Dawe (Lynn, Mass.) was 1-for-2 while junior Olivia Conti (Cranston, R.I.) batted 1-for-3. Each added a stolen base in the loss.
• Dawe threw 4.1 innings, giving up four runs, three earned, on eight hits. The defeat drops Dawe to 7-12 on the year.

HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME 2)

• In a game two pitching duel, the game's only run came in the bottom of the first inning, setting up another series split for the Saints this week.
• Sophomore Taylor Chelak (Westborough, Mass.) led off the first with a single through the left side, advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt on the next at bat. Conti stepped to the plate and on a 1-1 count, hit a double into left field, scoring Chelak, for the 1-0 lead.
• Saints first-year pitcher Mackenzie Briggs (West Warwick, R.I.) had a no-hitter going into the fourth until a one-out single by Foley gave the Monks their first runner of game two.
• Emmanuel had their best chance to add to the lead in the bottom of the fourth with two runners in scoring position and two outs, but a popout to second base ended the scoring threat.
• Gosselin provided the only other hit for SJC in game two, a sixth inning single on the first pitch. Both Foley in the fourth and Gosselin in the sixth would fail to advance further than first base.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS (GAME 2)

• Conti finished game two hitting 2-for-3 including a single and a double. Chelak ended the game 1-for-3 while senior Lylah Niederberger (Buzzards Bay, Mass.) batted 1-for-2, accounting for the Saints four hits in the second game.
• Briggs went the distance for the Saints in the pitching circle, allowing just two hits while striking out three Monks. The victory boosts Briggs to 7-1 on the season.
• Gosselin and Foley finished 1-for-3 each, both hitting a single in the defeat.
• Senior Sydney Hatch (Newburgh, Maine) pitched six innings for SJC, allowing just the one run on four hits while taking the loss and falling to 2-4 on the year.

UP NEXT

• The Saints are back in action on Thursday, April 20, taking a short trip to Regis for a doubleheader starting at 5:00 p.m.
• The Monks also return on April 20, at non-conference opponent, Southern Maine, for a pair of games beginning at 4:00 p.m.