Softball Falls to Saint Joseph’s (ME), 3-1, to Start GNAC Tournament Play

THE BASICS 

Score: 
#2N Saint Joseph's College (ME) 3
#3N Emmanuel 1

Records: 
Emmanuel College Saints (23-17)
Colby-Sawyer College Chargers (21-16)

Location: Brighton, Mass. – Daly Field

Date: Thursday, May 4, 2023

THE LEAD – Unable to take advantage of their scoring opportunities, the Emmanuel Saints softball team fell in today's Great Northeast Athletic Conference Second Round game to Saint Joseph's College of Maine, 3-1, dropping the Saints into the loser's bracket in the GNAC double-elimination Softball Tournament.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• It was an early start for the Monks, getting on the board in the bottom of the first inning to take the early edge. SJC opened the game with three consecutive singles, loading the bases with no outs. Sophomore Sylvia Foley (Scarborough, Maine) stepped in and deliver a two-run single up the middle, giving the Monks a 2-0 lead. Despite having runners on the corners and no outs, Saints first-year Mackenzie Briggs (West Warwick, R.I.) worked through the jam to hold SJC to just two runs.
• The Saints had chances to respond, leaving two runners on base in each of the next three innings. In the second, a groundout to the shortstop left two Saints on. In the third, EC has two in scoring position with one out, but consecutive groundouts ended the threat. Then, in the fourth, a popout to first base left a pair of Emmanuel runners on, as the Monks kept their 2-0 lead.
• The Monks added to their lead in the bottom of the fourth, grabbing an insurance run and a 3-0 lead. With runners on the corners and one out, the Saints had an opportunity to get out of the inning with a groundball to ECs shortstop, off the bat of junior Taylor Owen (Wakefield, Mass.), but the throw to second was unable to be handled cleanly enough to convert the double play, as Owen reached on a fielder's choice and sophomore Abby Carpenter (Bath, Maine) scored from third.
• Emmanuel had a final chance in the top of the seventh, loading the bases with no outs thanks to a single by sophomore Amanda Penney (Warwick, R.I.) and a pair of walks.
• After a force out at home on a grounder to the pitcher put one out on the board, Briggs stepped to the plate and flew out to right field on a sacrifice fly, scoring senior Julyanne Pacheco (Somerset, Mass.), cutting the deficit to 3-1. Junior Sammy Hayes (Braintree, Mass.) stepped to the plate but a popout back to the pitcher ended the Saints rally, as they dropped Thursday's Second Round Game to SJC, 3-1.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Six different Monks finished with a hit on the afternoon, including Foley going 1-for-3 with a single and two RBI. Carpenter finished 1-for-2 with a double in the fourth and a run scored.
• Senior pitcher Meredith Pence (Remington, Va.) threw 6.0+ innings for the Monks, making it into the seventh inning before being pulled after the bases were loaded. Pence gave up one earned run on four hits, improving to 12-3 with the win.
• Senior Emily Eagleston (Reading, Mass.) stepped in for Pence in the seventh, earning her first save of the season.
• The Saints combined for just four hits, all coming as singles. Penney came in as a pinch hitter in the seventh, finishing 1-for-1 at the plate. Pacheco, Briggs, and Hayes all had one hit on the afternoon.
• Emmanuel finished the game with a season-high 11 runners left on base, leaving two runners on in the second, third, fourth, and seventh in the loss.
• Senior Tianna Dawe (Lynn, Mass.) started the game for the Saints before being pulled for Briggs. Dawe surrendered two runs, both earned, on four hits, taking the loss and falling to 13-15 on the year.

UP NEXT

• The Saints proceed in the GNAC double-elimination style tournament in the loser's bracket and will be back to action on Saturday, May 6. Johnson & Wales take over hosting responsibilities for all the teams remaining in the GNAC Softball Tournament.