STANDISH, ME – Saint Joseph's (31-8, 21-3 GNAC) suffered an 8-0 setback at the hands of University of Maine (17-27, 6-8 America East) at Richard W. Bailey Field on Wednesday afternoon. Monks sophomore right fielder Danyelle Shufelt (Sutton, VT) went 2-3 in the losing effort.
The Monks' deficit stood at just one run after four innings but the Black Bears managed to score four runs off four hits and an SJC miscue in the top of the fifth to secure a 5-0 advantage. Maine proceeded to score twice off four hits in the sixth and tacked on another run off three hits in the seventh.
The Monks have been shut out just two times this season and six times in the last 122 games. Only one St. Joe's baserunner reached second base as Shufelt, who reached on a fielder's choice, made it to second on a Connie Grovo '14 (Limington, ME) single in the bottom of the fourth.
For the Black Bears, Margaret Hilton '12 (Lyndonville, VT) went 3-4 with two runs and a pair of doubles and Jennifer Eberhardt '12 (Glendale, AZ) was 2-4 with a double, a run and three RBI. Kali Burnham '11 (Courtice, ONT), Terren Hall '11 (Bucksport, ME) and Jillian Benson '13 (Holden, MA) chipped in with two hits apiece for the visitors.
Saint Joseph's starting pitcher Rae-Marie Copan '14 (Newport, MA) fell to 5-3 on the year after allowing five runs (four earned) off six hits with two strikeouts in 4.1 innings. Kayla Vannah '13 (Waldoboro, ME) fanned a pair and allowed three runs off eight hits and a walk in 2.2 innings of relief.
Maine starter Kylie Sparks '14 (Kirkland, WA), now 5-5 on the season, earned the win with four hits allowed and three K's in the complete-game shutout bid.
St. Joe's will host a pair of quarterfinal contests at Richard W. Bailey Field on Friday. Bailey Field will serve as a neutral site for #7 Lasell (11-27, 11-13 GNAC)/#6 Johnson & Wales (18-21, 12-12 GNAC) winner vs. #3 Simmons (23-13, 19-5 GNAC) at 2:00 PM. The Monks will face the winner of that game at 4:00 PM.
