STANDISH, ME - Saint Joseph's College won their third and fouth games in a row and improved to 10-10 after defeating Salem State 7-4 and 5 to 4. First-year Gabrielle Burrola (Gallup, NM) evened her record at 5-5 as she struck out 6 in the game 1 victory. First year Katelyn Doherty (Lynnfield, MA) took the loss for Salem.
The Monks jumped out to an early 3-0 lead as first year Kristi Albert (Farmingdale, ME) and first year Alysn Ludwig (Waldoboro, ME) singled. Burrola moved the runners over with a sacrifice and Vikings pitcher Doherty walked sophomore Megan Farrell (Abington, MA) to load the bases. First-year Colby McKenney (Saco, ME) singled to score Ludwig and Albert and senior Leanne Morton (Gorham, ME) reached on a fielder's choice. Junior Amanda Roy (Winslow, ME) singled to score Farrell.
The St. Joe's bats came alive again in the fourth as junior Jaime Daugherty (Bass Harbor, ME) and Albert singled. Ludwig smashed her first intercollegiate home run, a three-run shot over the left field fence, to put the Monks up 6-0.
Salem State managed a run in the fifth as first-year Meaghan Neenan (Beverly, MA) singled and was moved to second by a sacrifice by junior Ali Carnevalle (Salem, MA) and to third on a fielder's choice. Sophomore Michelle Enos (Medford, MA) singled to score Neenan.
The Monks added a run in the bottom of the fifth as sophomore Deb Drown (Gorham, ME) singled and went to second on a wild pitch. Albert reached on a fielder's choice and stole second as Drown stole third. Ludwig reached on a fielder's choice and Drown scored to go up 7-1.
The Vikings fought back in the sixth, however, plating three more runs to make it 7-4. Sophomore Sarah Funk (Gloucester, MA) tripled and first year Ashely Morrissey (Norwood, MA) reached first base after being hit by a pitch and then stole second. Sophomore Brianna Cabit (Stoughton, MA) singled to score Funk and Morrissey. Senior captain Cindy Gill (Woburn, MA) reached on an error and Cabit scored the Viking's final run on a wild pitch.
In game 2 junior Colleen Delahanty (Warren, ME) struck out 3 and evened her record at 5-5 with a 5-4 win.
Neenan and Enos singled in the second inning and Neenan gave the Vikings a 1-0 lead after scoring on a wild pitch. Funk singled in the third inning and also scored on a wild pitch to go up 2-0.
The Monks evened the score in the fourth inning as first year Kim Bechard (Lewiston, ME) and McKenney singled. First year Iris Guimond (Fort Kent, ME) came in to pinch run for Bechard and scored as Morton reached on an error. Jamie Morrison (Auburn, ME) hit a sacrifice fly to score McKenney.
In the fifth, junior captain Samantha Clark (Maynard, MA) hit a triple and scored off a fly ball by Morrissey but the Monks took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the inning, scoring 2 runs off 4 hits. Albert, Burrola and Bechard singled. McKenney reached on a fielder's choice as Albert was nabbed at the plate. Morton hit a two-run single to score Burrola and Bechard.
The Vikings tied the game in the seventh as Enos singled and moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on a single by Clark. The Monks closed out the inning with Burrola scoring the winning run on a single by Morrison.
The St. Joe's squad hosts Plymouth State on Wednesday, April 12, for a doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m.
