LEVINS' NO-HITTER LEADS SAINTS OVER BUCCANEERS
April 10, 2012
BOSTON, Mass. - The Emmanuel College Softball Team cruised to an 11-0 shutout of Massachusetts Maritime Academy on Tuesday night, backed by a phenomenal pitching display from sophomore Julia Levins (Uxbridge, Mass.), who threw her first ever no-hitter. The non-conference action played under the lights at Roberto Clemente Field was finished in five innings, as the win ended a fourteen-game slide for the Saints and improved Emmanuel to 5-24 on the season. Mass Maritime dropped to 2-13 with the loss.
The game opened with Emmanuel putting three runs on the board in the bottom of the first. With two outs, sophomore Jennifer Garrity (Lynn, Mass.) singled to right field and junior Kelly Lloid (Issaquah, Wash.) doubled to put runners at second and third. Sophomore third-baseman Kayla Howard (Belmont, N.H.) then ripped her first collegiate homerun, crushing the ball over the centerfield fence and giving the Saints a 3-0 lead.
After six quick Buccaneer outs, including two strikeouts from Levins, the Saints then tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the side. Freshman Catherine Bergeron (Sandwich, Mass.) was walked and junior Jackie Murray (Saugus, Mass.) reached on a bunt single, before classmate Laura Benvenuto (Wyckoff, N.J.) stepped to the plate hitting in the ninth spot. Benvenuto smashed her fourth collegiate hit over the left field fence for a three-run homer, giving Emmanuel a 6-0 lead.
Levins struck out the side in the third and the Saints capitalized again in the bottom of the frame by adding four more runs to their total. Howard walked and junior Fiona O'Dwyer (Stamford, Conn.) came in to pinch run for Howard on first. Freshman second-baseman Carina Paz (Fall River, Mass.) reached on an error, before Bergeron singled to score O'Dwyer. Murray reached on an infield error and moved to second on the throw home. Benvenuto drove in Paz and Levins placed a beautiful bunt down the third base line, which scored Murray and the Saints led, 10-0, after three.
A single by Garrity and three walks led to another Emmanuel run in the bottom of the fourth. Levins retired three-straight batters in the top of the fifth, including fanning two, and the hosts came away with the 11-0 win.
Levins' no-hitter was a first for the sophomore, who has played a myriad of positions in the Saints' infield this season. Levins struck out eight Buccaneers and walked two in the five-inning game.
Sophomore hurler Jennifer March (Pawtucket, R.I.) took the loss for the Bucs, giving up eight hits and striking out four.
Emmanuel will return to Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play this Friday, when the Saints travel to Albertus Magnus College for a double-header beginning at 3:00pm. Mass Maritime will host Fitchburg State University on Monday afternoon in a noontime start.