GORHAM, ME – Saint Joseph's (16-4, 9-1 GNAC) swept University of Southern Maine (0-12, 0-0 LEC) with 5-0 and 4-2 victories in non-conference softball action at Towers Field on Tuesday afternoon. With the sweep the Monks extend their winning streak to seven games.
In the first game, Junior Kayla Vannah (Waldoboro, Maine) held the Huskies' bats to just three hits. The 5'6 righty hurler fanned two batters and did not give up a walk to improve to 5-0 on the year. Southern Maine senior Caitlin LeBorgne (Scarborough, Maine) took the loss. LeBorgne allowed four earned runs on 11 hits and a pair of walks.
The Monks broke open a close game, leading 1-0 through four innings, with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth and the top of the sixth for the 5-0 final. Junior Heather Tripp (Lovell, Maine) drove in a run with a double to center field, while sophomore Lindsay Moore (Barrington, N.H.) added an RBI ground out in the fifth. In the sixth freshman Kim Jordan (Bangor, Maine) singled in a run and then came around to score an unearned run on a throwing error by the Huskies.
Sophomore pitcher Rae-Marie Copan (Newton, Mass.) fired a strong game for the Monks fanning nine batters to improve her record to 5-1. Spreading out seven hits over seven innings, Copan did not yield a walk en route to the win.
USM junior Stefanie Stockwell (Buxton, Maine) was the hard-luck loser for the Huskies. Scattering nine hits over seven innings, Stockwell had one strike out and gave up one walk. All four of the runs against Stockwell were unearned as the Huskies' committed three untimely errors.
The Monks jumped on top of the Huskies 3-0 in the top of the first inning. After getting two outs through the first three batters, USM committed a pair of errors and Moore and sophomore Theresa Hendrix (Scarborough, Maine/Cheverus) drove in a pair of unearned runs with a double and a triple respectively.
The Huskies bounced back for a pair of runs in the bottom of the third to trail St. Joseph's 3-2. Sophomore Annie Mitchell (Gorham, Maine) and junior Katie Davis (Woburn, Mass.) each had RBI singles for USM.
Both teams were held scoreless over the next three innings as each team's pitcher settled into a grove. Copan held USM to one hit and recorded four of her nine strikeouts during the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, while Stockwell held the Monks to three hits.
In the top of the seventh, the Monks were able to secure an insurance run converting on the Huskies' third error of the game. After reaching on an infield error, senior Emily Leverone (Hampton, N.H.) used heads up base running to score on a throw following a single by Tripp.
Copan secured the win for St. Joe's in the bottom of the inning, retiring the Huskies in order for the 4-2 final.
Southern Maine hosts Husson University on Wednesday (3:00 p.m.). Saint Joseph's travels to Emmanuel College on Thursday (6:30 p.m.).
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