Saints Softball Falls 3-1 in Pod B Elimination Game to Lasell

NEWTON, Mass. – Facing elimination all afternoon, the Saints held off being knocked out after a 4-2, extra-innings win over Albertus Magnus, only to fall in another elimination game later on Saturday, falling 3-1 to the hosts and No. 1 South-seeded Lasell Lasers at Taylor Field.

GAME 1: EMMANUEL 4 – ALBERTUS MAGNUS 2 (Final/9)

The Saints were on the board in the top of the first with a two-out, two-run double by junior Abigail Farr (Windsor Locks, Conn.). Emmanuel opened the inning with an infield single by junior Amanda Penney (Warwick, R.I.).

After back-to-back strikeouts, senior Olivia Conti (Cranston, R.I.) walked to put two runners on. Farr stepped in and delivered a shot to center field that plated Penney and Conti, giving the Saints a 2-0 lead.

Meanwhile, in the Saints pitching circle, junior Madison Marks (Edgewater Park, N.J.) had another gem going, taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning, before Albertus Magnus finally broke through.

Consecutive RBI doubles in the bottom of the sixth by Falcons junior Skylar Arent (Ridgefield, Conn.) and grad student Hailey Laforte (Branford, Conn.) not only broke up the no-hit bid, but tied things at 2-2. After a scoreless seventh, the Saints returned to extra innings for a second straight game.

After a quiet eighth, the Saints struck in the top of the ninth with a two-out rally that eventually clinched the game. Senior Emma Crisafulli (Loudonville, N.Y.) started the rally with a two-out walk. First-year Madeline Parrish (Andover, Mass.) added on with a single to left field, moving Crisafulli to second.

Two batters later, now with the bases loaded, Penney stepped in and ripped a base hit down the left-field line, scoring Crisafulli and Parrish, to give Emmanuel a two-run lead.

In the bottom half of the inning, Albertus Magnus had the tying run at the plate, but Marks shut the door on the Falcons, striking out her eighth batter of the afternoon, sealing the win for Emmanuel, 4-2.

Penney and junior Taylor Chelak (Westborough, Mass.) both batted 2-for-5 with Penney adding two RBI while Chelak had a third inning triple. Parrish finished the elimination game 2-for-3 at the plate. Marks threw nine innings, allowing two runs on two hits.

For Albertus Magnus, Arent's and Laforte's RBI doubles were the only hits off Marks for the Falcons as their season concludes at 22-19.

Emmanuel continues along in the loser's bracket of Pod B and will face the No. 1 South-seeded Lasell at approximately 4:00 p.m. today. The winner of this game moves to Sunday play in Pod B and will face the No. 3 North-seeded Simmons Sharks, starting at 1:00 p.m.

With Simmons advancing in the winner's bracket to Sunday's play, they only require one victory tomorrow to win Pod B. Their opponent, the Saints or Lasers, will need two wins tomorrow to win Pod B.

GAME 2: LASELL 3 – EMMANUEL 1

In game two, the Saints season came to an end after the hosts from Lasell scored once in the first, once in the second, and once more in the fourth. Emmanuel only answered with one run in the bottom of the sixth, falling 3-1 on Saturday afternoon at Taylor Field.

The Lasers opened the scoring in the top of the first, starting the inning with back-to-back base hits putting two runners on. Two batters later, an RBI groundout by senior Katie Hopkins (Garden City Park, N.Y.) would lift Lasell to a 1-0 lead.

In the top of the next inning, Lasell doubled their advantage on an RBI single to center field by senior Ally Kirck (Hamden, Conn.). The Lasers had the chance to add to that lead with two in scoring position and one out, but a pair of infield pop-ups ended the inning with Lasell leading 2-0.

Moving to the fourth, Lasell boosted their lead to 3-0 after a lead-off triple by first-year Emily Rondeau (North Andover, Mass.) set up an RBI groundout for sophomore Abigail Fortin (North Smithfield, R.I.).

The Saints broke up the shutout in the bottom of the sixth after an outfield error by Lasell allowed Chelak to score from first base, cutting the deficit to 3-1.

Much like Albertus did in the game prior, the Saints brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh after a lead-off walk. But Lasers pitcher, senior Eryn Sheeley (North Haven, Conn.), and Lasell locked in and following a strikeout, pop-out to shortstop, and groundout to the Sheeley, the Lasers advanced to tomorrow's Pod B Finals with a 3-1 win.

Rondeau finished with 2-for-3 with a double, triple, and two runs scored. Kirck was also 2-for-3, adding a double and one RBI in the win. Sheeley pitched a complete game, allowing one run on five hits while striking out 11.

Chelak finished 2-for-3 for Emmanuel, both singles and added a run scored. Penney, Conti, and first-year Alexis Martineau (Merrimack, N.H.) all finished 1-for-3. Marks threw another complete game, allowing three runs on eight hits to go with five strikeouts.

The Lasers move to Sunday's Pod B finals and will face No. 3 North-seeded Simmons, starting at 1:00 p.m. To win Pod B, Simmons requires one win while Lasell will need to win both the 1:00 p.m. game and the 3:30 p.m. game, if necessary.

For the Saints, their season comes to a close at 21-16.