EMERSON BATS OVERPOWER SOFTBALL IN GNAC SWEEP

April 15, 2012

Game One Box Score  Game Two Box Score

BOSTON, Mass. - The Emmanuel College softball team dropped both games of a Great Northeast Athletic Conference doubleheader to Emerson College Saturday afternoon at Clemente, Field in Boston, Mass. The Lions were able to capture the first game, 12-1 (6 inn.) before cruising to a 17-0 (5 inn.) victory in game two. With the wins, Emerson improves to 26-7 on the year and 20-2 in the GNAC while the losses drop the Saints to 7-28 and 4-16.

In game one, the Lions jumped ahead to a 5-0 lead scoring five unearned runs in the second inning to coast to the GNAC victory. With two outs and the bases loaded, sophomore centerfielder Brittany Rochford (Irvine, Calif.) reached base via an EC error to extend the inning and plate the first Emerson run to make it a 1-0 game. Next up, sophomore third baseman Bianca Buono (El Cajon, Calif.) was hit by a pitch to knock in the second run of the frame before sophomore shortstop Shannon Torosian (Stoneham, Mass.) delivered a bases clearing double to right centerfield to make it a 5-0 game in favor of the visitors.

Emmanuel would get one back in the bottom half of the inning with an unearned run of their own as junior Kelly Lloid (Issaquah, Wash.) led off the frame with a single to left and advanced to third on a bunt single by sophomore third baseman Kayla Howard(Belmont, N.H.) to put runners at the corners with no outs. Lloid would cross the plate later in the inning on a passed ball to pull Emmanuel to within 5-1 heading into the third.

Emerson would add a run in the fourth with a two-out inside the park homerun by Rochford. The sophomore laced a ball to right field that eluded the Saints all the way to the fence, allowing the speedy Rochford to circle the bases to make it 6-1.

An RBI single to center by senior second baseman Kendal Peiguss (Suquamish, Wash.) gave Emerson a 7-1 lead in the fifth inning and Rochford would connect on her second homerun of the game in the sixth with a two-run shot over the centerfield fence to make it a 9-1 game. The Lions would tack on another run later in the inning on an RBI single by senior pitcher Kelsey Tuthill (Middlefield, Conn.) before sophomore designated player Alexandra Magistro (Hackettstown, N.J.) belted a two-run blast of her own to account for the 12-1 final.

Tuthill was dominant on the hill for the Lions tossing a complete game three hitter, allowing just the one unearned run whole striking out 13 in the win. Sophomore hurler Jenny Garrity (Lynn, Mass.) suffered the loss for the Saints, tossing 1 2/3 innings allowing five runs, all unearned.

In game two, Magistro helped her own cause by starting off the scoring with a solo homer to right-center field to give Emerson a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Sophomore left fielder Lauren Jacaruso (West Islip, N.Y.) made it 2-0 with an RBI bunt single before Rochford continued her monster day with an RBI single to right to make it 3-0. Buono got into the action with an RBI double down the left field line to bump the lead up to 4-0 before Torosian connected on a two-RBI single to left to push the Lions lead to 6-0. The inning continued with a two-out, two-RBI single to center by Peiguss to make it an 8-0 game. Sophomore right fielder Alicia Daniele (Mahwah, N.J.) added an RBI double and came around to score on an RBI single by freshman Nikki Delaney (San Mateo, Calif.) to wrap up the inning scoring at 10-0.

The rout continued in the third as Torosian made it an 11-0 game with an RBI single up the middle before Buono came around to score on a wild pitch to increase the visitor's lead to 12-0. An RBI double by Tuthill bumped the lead to 13-0. Later in the inning, Delaney delivered a single that was lost in the sun to drive in another run to make it 14-0 before Jacaruso drove in a run with a fielder's choice. Freshman Annie Jenkins (Woodland, Calif.) delivered an infield single to drive in the Lions final run of the inning to make it a 16-0 ballgame.

Emmanuel would have its best chance to score in the bottom of the third when Garrity belted an single to the centerfield wall, advancing freshman Julia Demirali(West Roxbury, Mass.) to third before Emerson was able to retire the side and strand Demirali in scoring position.

Emerson would tack on a run in the fourth inning with an RBI double by Magistro to plate Torosian to increase their lead to 17-0 before being retired in order for the first time all afternoon in the fifth inning.

Magistro notched the win for the Lions tossing the first three innings of action while allowing just three hits before Daniele took over to work the two perfect innings to close out the win. Sophomore Julia Levins(Uxbirdge, Mass.) took the loss for Emmanuel, allowing seven runs (five earned) over 1 and 1/3 innings of work.

The Saints will be back in action on Friday, April 20 when they travel across the city to play Suffolk University in another GNAC twinbill scheduled for 3:00 PM while the Lions return to the diamond the same day when they head to New Haven, Conn. to face Albertus Magnus in a GNAC doubleheader beginning at 3:00 PM.