EMMANUEL SOFTBALL TEAM SPLITS WITH SAINT JOSEPH
April 4, 2009
BOSTON, Mass. - The Emmanuel College Softball Team picked up a win and a loss on Saturday, as the Saints split with Saint Joseph College in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) double header. The Saints rebounded from a 9-1 loss in Saturday's opener to shut out the visiting Blue Jays, 8-0, in the nightcap. Both games ended after five innings. The Saints now stand at 6-14 (3-7 GNAC) on the season, while the Blue Jays move to 8-12 overall (2-6 GNAC).
Emmanuel was on the board first in the opening game. After a single by freshman Elyse Turgeon (Dracut, Mass.), junior shortstop Danielle Andruskiwec (Orange, Conn.) tripled, scoring Turgeon, to put the Saints up 1-0. Saints freshman hurler Jesse Hutchins (Sebago, Maine) struck out the side in the top of the second, putting away the sixth, seventh, and eighth Blue Jay batters. The second inning was a scoreless one for both teams, but gave way to four runs by Saint Joseph in the third. Three Blue Jays reached on walks, followed by singles from Michelle Lynch (Ludlow, Mass.), Jackie Peck (Montville, Conn.), and Susie Waters (Wrentham, Mass.) put the Jays up 4-1 after three.
Saint Joseph used two hits, including a triple by Monica Lynch (Ludlow, Mass.), to score 4 more runs in the fourth and the Blue Jays led, 8-1. For the Saints, Turgeon singled again in the fourth and Andruskiwec doubled, but three quick outs stranded two runners in scoring position for Emmanuel.
The Blue Jays manufactured one more run in the top of the fifth, as April Campanella (Berlin, Conn.) bunted for a single and subsequently scored after a hit by lead-off batter Antoinette Marciano (South Winsor, Conn.). The Saints went down with a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the fifth and the game ended after five innings played, as Saint Joseph took away the 9-1 victory.
Saint Joseph's sophomore pitcher Sara Dudey (Dover, N.H.) picked up the win for the Blue Jays, giving up just four hits and striking out seven. Hutchins went five innings for the Saints, also striking out seven, in the effort.
Emmanuel rallied for game two and held the Blue Jays scoreless throughout. Saint Joseph stranded two in the first after singles by Michelle Lynch and Katie Gaudiosi (Waterbury, Conn.). Emmanuel went down quickly in the bottom of the first and the Saints' defense, which played flawless in the nightcap, put away batters six, seven, and eight to retire the side for the Blue Jays in the second.
Emmanuel got its scoring break in the bottom of the second. Junior leftfielder Erin McSheffrey (Woburn, Mass.) singled and advanced to second on the Blue Jay error, before stealing third. Junior right-fielder Kristina Borrelli (Kingson, Mass.) reached on a fielder's choice and stole second. Freshman pitcher Kathryn Copp (Fremont, N.H.) walked to load the bases for the Saints. A two-run double by Sarah Palmer-Thompson (Dennis, Mass.) scored McSheffrey and Borrelli to give the Saints a 2-0 lead after two innings played.
Two and a half scoreless innings ensued before Emmanuel tacked on six runs in the fifth to end the game for the Blue Jays. The bottom of the fifth opened with back-to-back singles from Turgeon and Andruskiwec. Borelli singled and freshman catcher Kristen Landers (Worcester, Mass.) bunted for a single. Turgeon kicked off the scoring, when she crossed the plate on a wild pitch. Copp reached on a fielder's choice, which took out Andruskiwec at home. Palmer-Thompson then reached on an error by the third-baseman. Emmanuel players advanced and scored, as the Blue Jays threw the ball around the infield. A single by freshman third-baseman Chelsey Guselli (Methuen, Mass.) scored Borrelli and Landers to put the Saints up 5-0. Copp scored to give the Saints a 6-0 cushion. During a final at-bat by freshman designated hitter Ariana Liakos (Litchfield, N.H.), Palmer-Thompson scored on a wild pitch and Guselli crossed the plate after a throwing error by the catcher, which put the eight-run rule into effect and ended the game in a shutout win for Emmanuel.
Copp threw a six-hitter for the Saints, striking out four batters and walking one, as the rookie picked up her fifth win of the season. Sophomore Melanie Bush (Bristol, Conn.) took home the loss for the Blue Jays, giving up 11 hits and walking one batter.
For the Saints, Andruskiwec went 4 for 5 on the day with two singles, a double, and a triple. Turgeon went 3 for 5 and McSheffrey and Guselli each recorded two singles for Emmanuel. Saint Joseph's offense was led by Marciano, who went 4 for 7 on the day. Monica Lynch notched three RBIs for the visitors.
The Saints, who have now doubled their wins from last season, are back in action on Sunday afternoon. Emmanuel hosts the Lasers of the Lasell College in a GNAC double-header, beginning at noon at Rotch Park.