FORT MYERS, FL – The Saint Joseph's softball team improved to 4-0 on the season with a pair of victories on Monday evening. The Monks scored four runs in the sixth and one in the seventh to defeat North Park University (3-1), 5-4, and closed the day with a 4-1 triumph over Delaware Valley College (1-1) at the Lee County Sports Complex.
GAME ONE
Little went as planned in the early going versus North Park, as the Vikings plated a pair in the first inning and doubled their cushion with two more runs in the top of the third. Despite the poor start, junior pitcher Theresa Hendrix (Scarborough, Maine/Cheverus) stayed the course by allowing just one North Park baserunner on a Nicole Kruckman (Libertyville, Ill.) base hit in the top of the sixth.
The shutdown effort by Hendrix allowed the Monks to record one of the most memorable comeback victories in recent memory, as the Royal Blue finally solved Vikings starter Casey Latal (Palatine, Ill.) in the bottom of the sixth. Junior shortstop Lindsay Moore (Barrington, N.H.) led off the inning with a single and Hendrix drove a ball down the right field line that resulted in an inside-the-park home run, cutting the SJC deficit down to 4-2.
The Hendrix shot chased Latal from the contest, at least momentarily, as Vikings Head Coach Dan Gooris removed his senior hurler in favor of sophomore Danielle Warner (Heyworth, Ill.). Senior catcher Heather Tripp (Lovell, Maine) was the first batter to face the new pitcher and reached on an infield error. Freshman Megen Pollini (Wolfeboro, N.H.) entered the contest as a pinch runner and promptly advanced to second on a wild pitch before crossing the plate on a Melissa Mayhew (Hiram, Maine) single.
The tying run was scored without a hit, as Mayhew scampered to second and third on a pair of Warner wild pitches and raced home when senior Danielle Leavitt (Spruce Head, Maine) grounded out to second base.
After Hendrix hurled a perfect seventh, Latal re-entered the circle for the Vikings and proceeded to serve up a triple to the first batter she faced – Moore, who launched a ball to deep center. Up next was Hendrix, but she was not required to even swing the bat as Latal unleashed a wild pitch, allowing Moore to score the winning run.
Moore and senior center fielder Danyelle Shufelt (Sutton, Vt.) both went 2-4 in the victory and served as the game's only repeat hitters. Hendrix allowed three earned runs off six hits and a pair of walks while striking out four to pick up the victory.
Latal suffered the loss for North Park after yielding three runs off six hits and a pair of free passes with three K's over five frames.
GAME TWO
The nightcap contest lacked the drama of the day's first game but featured another dominant effort by junior pitcher Rae-Marie Copan (Newton, Mass.), who allowed one unearned run off three hits with seven strikeouts in a complete-game 4-1 triumph to improve to 2-0 on the young season.
The Monks kicked off the scoring in the bottom of the first when junior second baseman Connie Grovo (Limington, Maine) belted a one-out triple to center and scored on a Moore base hit to left field.
The Aggies managed to knot the contest at one-apiece in the top of the second when senior center fielder Krystle Mazza (Hopatcong, N.J.) led off with a single and later scored on an SJC miscue.
Saint Joseph's punched across the go-ahead run in the bottom of the third when Shufelt opened with a triple to left and scored on a Hendrix sacrifice fly to center. The Monks secured a 3-1 advantage when Tripp drove in Moore, who reached on an infield error, with a double to left field.
In the bottom of the sixth, sophomore third baseman Kim Jordan (Bangor, Maine) hit a one-out double to right field and scored on freshman Alyssa Wade's (Peru, Maine) first NCAA hit - a single to center.
Offensively, Moore and Jordan both went 2-3 and Shufelt was 2-4 with a double and a triple in the nightcap.
Through two starts this season, Copan has allowed just one unearned run and only four hits with no walks and 15 strikeouts in 14 innings.
Delaware Valley starter Gerhard suffered the loss after allowing four runs off nine hits with two strikeouts in six innings.
Saint Joseph's resumes action tomorrow afternoon with contests versus Wheaton College (Ill.) and Elms College.
Saint Joseph's College is Maine's only Catholic liberal arts college, providing a supportive, personalized and career-focused education for more than 100 years. From its 350-acre campus on the shores of Sebago Lake, the College offers more than 40 undergraduate programs to a population of approximately 1,000 students. Saint Joseph's College Online provides certificates, undergraduate and advanced degrees for working adults through an online learning program. For more, visit www.sjcme.edu.
