FORT MYERS, FL - Saint Joseph's College (6-2) took both games on Friday afternoon: a 3-2 thriller against North Park followed by an 8-4 victory over Amherst. Pitching propelled the Monks in both games as Rae-Marie Copan '14 (Newton, MA) hurled a complete game without allowing a walk in the opener and Maddie Kluna '12 (Standish, ME) also went the distance with eight strikeouts in the nightcap.

GAME ONE

The St. Joe's offense started in the top of the 3rd when Danyelle Shufelt '13 (Sutton, VT) scored on a North Park error off the bat of Heather Tripp '13 (Lovell, ME). The Monks took the 1-0 lead into the bottom of the 5th when the Vikings answered with a two-out single by Ana Pistilli that knocked in Jackie Abraham. The Monks responded immediately in the top of the 6th when Alyssa Dunn '11 (Standish, ME) stroked an RBI single scoring Emily Leverone '11 (Hampton, NH).

But North Park would not go down quietly. In the bottom half of the 6th frame, Mallory Bieritz singled in Sonya Le to knot up the score a two apiece. With two outs in the top of the 7th, Leverone stepped up to the plate and smashed her second home run of the season giving St. Joe's the 3-2 lead and, ultimately, the victory.

Copan notched the complete game victory, scattering eight hits, allowing two runs (one earned), no walks and three strikeouts. Offensively, Leverone led the way with a 2-4 effort including the game-winning bomb in the top of the 7th. Shufelt also contributed with a 2-4 day.

GAME TWO

The Monks never trailed in this one, an 8-4 triumph over Amherst. Leverone wasted little time in continuing her solid day with an RBI double in the top of the 1st, scoring Connie Grovo '14 (Limington, ME). In the top of the 3rd, St. Joe's tacked on five runs to jump out to a 6-0 advantage. Tripp doubled home two runs to make it 3-0. Then Lindsay Moore '14 (Barrington, NH) went yard for the first time in her college career, a three-run shot that would eventually be the difference maker in this game.

Kluna improved her record to 3-0 on the season after surrendering 10 hits, four runs and one walk in the complete-game effort. Leverone turned in another 2-4 game and Tripp went 2-4 with three RBI while Moore finished 2-3 with the three-run round-tripper. Shufelt and Grovo also added two hits apiece at the top of the Monks order.