AMCATS Score Big in Game Two but drop Doubleheader to Monks

WORCESTER, Mass.—A three-run seventh inning broken open a tied game and propelled the Saint Joseph's College softball team to a 12-9 win over the AMCATS of Anna Maria College in a high-scoring second game. The Monks also claimed a 9-1 victory in the opener to complete the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) sweep on Saturday afternoon at Holy Cross's Freshman Field.

The wins bump the Monks to 9-9 overall and 4-2 in GNAC play, while Anna Maria falls to 2-17 overall and 0-6 in league action.

GAME ONE – SAINT JOSEPH'S 9, ANNA MARIA 1 (FIVE INNINGS)

The Monks opened the day with a four-run first inning, as Melodie Bailey (Lebanon, Maine) led off with a double and scored on a singled by Katie Chadbourne (Jaffrey, N.H.) a batter later. The Monks followed that with three unearned runs as they batted through their lineup.

Following a scoreless second inning, the Monks took a 6-0 lead in top of the third on a two-run homerun by Kristal Smith (Pittston, Maine).

Anna Maria posted their lone run of the game in the bottom of the third as Liz Haggerty (Charlton, Mass.) led off with a single and scored on a double to right-center field by Jacqueline Lapierre (Worcester, Mass.).

The Monks added three more runs in the top of the fourth to enact the eight-run mercy rule, ending the game in the fifth inning.

Alexis Romano (Lowell, Mass.) took the loss in the circle for Anna Maria, scattering nine hits and five earned runs in 3.2 innings of work. She walked two and struck out one. She was relieved by freshman Ally Hamelin (Greenfield, Mass.), who gave up no hits and no runs with a walk and a strikeout in 1.1 innings.

Kylie McFadden (Dover, N.H.) earned the win for Saint Joseph's, scattering four hits, one run and five strikeouts in the complete-game effort.

In addition to Haggerty and Lapierre, the AMCATS saw hits by freshmen Sarah Coley (Worcester, Mass.) and Victoria Falco (Marlborough, Mass.).

Bailey and Smith both batted 2-for-3 at the plate for the Monks. Chadbourne finished 2-for-4.

GAME TWO – SAINT JOSEPH'S 12, ANNA MARIA 9

The AMCATS made up for their lack of run production in game one by scoring nine runs, their highest output since a 13-5 win against Franciscan on March 10^th.

After giving up three runs in the top of the first on a three-RBI double by Mariah Harrison (Buxton, Maine), the AMCATS rallied for four runs in the bottom of the first to take a 4-3 lead.

With one out and a runner on second, Falco singled to score Amanda Lemire (Methuen, Mass.). After moving to second on the throw to home and taking third on a passed ball, Falco scored easily from third on a single by Lapierre.

A fielder's choice put Lapierre and Kathryn Rendock (Windsor, Conn.) on second and first, respectively. Lapierre scored on a double by Amy Clement (Townsend, Mass.), while Rendock scored from third on a groundout by Taylor Gould (Storrs, Conn.).

The scoring continued in the second inning as the Monks posted four runs for a 7-3 advantage, which Anna Maria matched with a three-run homerun by Lapierre in the bottom of the inning to even the score at 7-7.

The Monks added another two runs in the top of the third on a lead-off homerun by Kelsy Gaddy (Limington, Maine) and a sacrifice-fly by Smith tat scored Harrison.

Anna Maria held the Monks scoreless for the next three innings and evened the score at 9-9 with two runs in the bottom of the fourth.

Scoring slowed until the top of the seventh, when Gaddy opened with her second homerun of the day as part of a three-run inning. Anna Maria made a commendable comeback attempt in their last at-bat as Falco and Lapierre both singled to put the tying run at the plate with no outs, but three-straight outs, including two strikeouts, ended the AMCATS' chance for a comeback.

Senior Angela Vousboukis (Swampscott, Mass.) took the loss for Anna Maria, scattering 13 hits, 11 earned runs, a walk and two strikeouts in the complete-game effort.

Smith earned the win for the Monks, pitching five innings in relief while scattering four hits, two runs, a walk and an impressive eight strikeouts.

Lapierre batted 4-for-4 with five RBI. Falco finished 3-for-4, while Clement and Haggerty added single hits for a total of nine AMCAT hits.

Harrison led the Monks at the plate with a 3-for-4 effort, while Bailey, Jennelle Thompson (Farmington, N.H.), Meghan Elliott (Blackstone, Mass.), and Smith all finished with two hits each.

WHAT'S NEXT

The AMCATS return to action on Wednesday when they host Lasell College in a 7:00 and 9:00 p.m. GNAC doubleheader at the New England Baseball Complex in Northborough, Mass. Saint Joseph's has a quick turnaround as they host Norwich tomorrow at noon.