WEST HARTFORD, CT – Saint Joseph's (10-6, 3-3 GNAC) split a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) twinbill with St. Joseph (CT) (7-11, 3-3 GNAC) on Sunday afternoon. Starting pitcher Maddie Kluna '12 (Standish, ME) allowed one run off eight hits and fanned five in a complete-game effort in the opener.
In the first game, the Monks broke a 1-1 tie with an RBI double from Katelyn Call '12 (Portland, ME/McAuley) in the top of the seventh inning. In the nightcap, the Blue Jays, trailing 1-0 in after four and a half frames, knotted the game in the bottom of the fifth and plated the winner on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth to salvage a split.
GAME ONE
The Monks wasted little time getting on the board, as right fielder Danyelle Shufelt '13 (Sutton, VT) led off with a bunt single and scored three batters later when designated hitter Jill Howard '14 (Rochester, NH) doubled to left field. As it turned out, the Royal Blue would touch the plate just twice more over the next 14 innings.
The Blue Jays tied the game with an RBI double off the bat of second baseman Melanie Bush (Bristol, CT).
St. Joe's answered with the eventual game-winning run in the top of the seventh. Freshman shortstop Lindsay Moore (Barrington, NH) led off with a bunt single, moved to second on a sac bunt by catcher Maria Labbe '12 (Lewiston, ME), and scored when Call drove a double to left field.
The Blue Jays had runners on first and second in the bottom of the seventh with two out, but Kluna induced a fly ball to right field to end the game.
St. Joseph starting pitcher Kristin Parente (Burlington, CT) allowed two earned runs on seven hits and a walk and fanned one in a losing effort. Left fielder Bryanna Durant (Middletown, CT), who went 2-3, was the game's only repeat hitter.
GAME TWO
The Monks opened the game scoring in the nightcap when center fielder Emily Leverone '11 (Hampton, NH) scored on a double play ball in the top of the fourth. The Blue Jays responded with a run off a Shauna Sullivan (Rocky Hill, CT) base hit in the bottom of the fifth.
Tied 1-1 after seven frames, the conference tilt headed for extra play as both teams began their respective turn at the bat with a runner on second base per the international tie-breaker rule. Kirin Schrum '13 (Littleton, NH) served as the runner for the Royal Blue and moved to third on a sac bunt by Call, but Blue Jays starter Kristina Torres (Groton, CT) induced a pair of harmless out to escape unscathed.
St. Joseph (CT) proceeded to win the game in walk-off fashion in the bottom of the first extra inning. April Campanella (Berlin, CT) began the inning at second, scampered to third on a sacrifice bunt by Megan Fairfield (Franklin, MA), and scored when Sarah Cousens (Sterling, CT) hit a sacrifice fly to center field.
For the Monks, starter Rae-Marie Copan '14 (Newton, MA) suffered the tough-luck loss after allowing one earned run off just three hits in 7.2 innings. The first-year hurler struck out a pair and did not issue a walk in the loss. Leverone was 2-2 with a run scored and was the only SJC hitter to notch a multiple-hit effort in the setback.
For the Blue Jays, Torres went the distance and allowed one run off six hits and a walk while fanning six. Ashley Gall (Stafford Springs, CT) went 2-3 with a run scored in the triumph.
With the split, St. Joe's is now 5-3 in the history of the series with St. Joseph (CT).
Saint Joseph's will host Southern Maine in a non-league twinbill on Tuesday at 3:30 PM, while St. Joseph (CT) is set to host GNAC foe Pine Manor College on Wednesday at 3:00 PM.
