STANDISH, ME - Saint Joseph's (12-6, 6-2 GNAC) posted a pair of 2-1 victories over reigning GNAC Champion Rivier College (7-9, 4-6) on Saturday at Ward Park. Kiera Walsh '11 (Benton, ME) collected the victory in the opener, tossing seven innings while fanning five and allowing four hits and one earned run, to improve to 6-1 on the year. Madylan Kluna '12 (Standish, ME) improved to 3-4 on the year after picking up the decision in game two, which required eight frames to complete. Alyssa Dunn '11 (Standish, ME) led the offensive charge with three hits, including the game-two winner, and two RBI's in the twin bill.

In both games, the Lady Monks managed to gain the lead while the Raiders' ace pitcher, two-time GNAC Pitcher of the Year and 2009 pre-season All-American Monica White '10 (Augusta, ME), was in the circle, both times coming while she was working in relief. Tied 1-1 in the sixth inning of the opener, Jillian Kimball '10 (Albany Township, ME) singled off White to plate Liddy van der Linden '10 (Worcester, MA) for the go-head run.

The teams combined to post goose eggs across the board through seven frames in the nightcap contest, but the Raiders captured a 1-0 lead in the top of the eighth after White singled in a run. In game two with the imposing pitcher in the game, Emily Leverone '11 (Hampton, NH) sent Maria Labbe '12 (Lewiston, ME) home with a one-out single to tie the game. With two out, Dunn lifted the Lady Monks to victory with a single that sent Anna Willis '10 (Gorham, ME) scrambling home. White yielded six SJC hits in two innings of relief in the loss.

For St. Joe's, Willis, Leverone and Dunn all had three hits in the twin bill. White notched four hits to pace the visitors, as the teams combined to post just 20 hits in the pair of low-scoring conference games.

Walsh did not issue a free pass for the fourth straight game and has not walked a batter in her last 29 innings. The sophomore hurler has walked just one hitter in 46 innings this season and has posted a miniscule 0.76 earned run average in seven games.

Now with a 2.87 mark, Kluna has shaved nearly two runs off her ERA since the squad began playing up north. The freshman struck out six Raiders and allowed five hits and two walks in the game two win.

Alexa Feener '10 (Franklin, NH) started both games for Rivier and scattered four hits while walking two, fanning eight and allowing one run in seven innings. White worked 6 2/3 innings and allowed seven hits, three runs and one walk with five strikeouts.

Saint Joseph's will travel to East Providence, RI on Sunday to take on GNAC foe Johnson & Wales University in a 12:00 PM double dip. Rivier will play at Saint Joseph College (CT) tomorrow in a doubleheader scheduled to begin at noon.