FORT MYERS, FL – Saint Joseph's (3-1) toppled Washington College, 9-1, and fell to Worcester State, 4-1, in the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic on Tuesday afternoon. Emily Leverone '11 (Hampton, NH) went 3-4 with three doubles, two runs and three RBI in the opener.
GAME ONE vs. Washington College
St. Joe's led 2-0 after the first frame as Leverone recorded an RBI double and later scored on a Lindsay Moore '14 (Barrington, NH) fielder's choice. The Monks tacked on two more in the fourth on a Washington College error and a Samantha Gray '12 (Yarmouth, ME) fielder's choice and another pair in the fifth when Leverone drove home a run with a double and scored on an Alyssa Dunn '11 (Standish, ME) single.
Leading 6-1 after five innings, the Monks managed to push across three more runs off four hits in the bottom of the sixth to clinch a mercy-rule victory, their second in three games. Jordan VanRosendael '13 (Limington, ME), who worked a walk, scored on an error, Leverone doubled home Danyelle Shufelt '13 (Sutton, VT) and Dunn plated Connie Grovo '14 (Limington, ME), who reached with a single, with a base hit to close out the 9-1 win.
Rae-Marie Copan '14 (Newton, MA) allowed one run off seven hits and fanned four in six innings to earn a victory in her first NCAA start.
GAME TWO vs. Worcester State
Sophomore pitcher Kayla Vannah (Waldoboro, ME) made her first start of the season and received little support, offensively or defensively, in a 4-1 loss to Worcester State. The Lancers scored twice in the first off three hits and added a pair of unearned runs in the second frame off two SJC errors.
Vannah settled in and surrendered just three hits over the final five innings, but the Monks were unable to solve Worcester State pitcher Hannah Everson, who allowed just one hit – a home run hit by Dunn in the bottom of the fifth – and fanned seven in a complete-game effort.
Saint Joseph's has a scheduled day off on Wednesday and returns to action Thursday with games versus Curry (5:00 PM) and Franklin & Marshall (7:00 PM).