STANDISH, ME – Saint Joseph's College (14-2, 6-0 GNAC) won a pair of games versus Mount Ida College (1-11, 0-4 GNAC) in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) softball action on Friday afternoon. The Monks tipped the Mustangs, 5-4, in the opener and closed out the sweep with a 9-0 win, in five innings, in the nightcap.
GAME ONE
The Monks kicked off their 2014 home opener by taking an early lead, scoring a run off a Danica Gleason (South Portland, Maine) sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first. Junior third baseman Kim Jordan (Bangor, Maine) led off the frame by working a walk, moved to second on a Connie Grovo (Limington, Maine) single, went to third when Lindsay Moore (Barrington, N.H.) executed a sac bunt, and scored when Gleason swung at the first pitch and lifted a sac fly to right field.
The 1-0 edge remained until the top of the fifth when junior third baseman Gina Onorevole (Lafayette, N.J.) singled to lead off the frame and later scored on a throwing error by Saint Joseph's freshman catcher Jennifer Murphy (Andover, Mass.), knotting the conference contest at one-apiece.
Saint Joseph's proceeded to seemingly put the game out of reach by plating four runs off three hits and a pair of Mount Ida miscues in the bottom of the fifth. Small ball paid dividends, as junior right fielder Victoria Ramos (North Scituate, R.I.) – who reached with a single to right – and freshman center fielder Carla Tripp (Lovell, Maine) – who got on via hit by pitch – moved into scoring position on a Jordan sac bunt and both scored when Grovo slammed a double down the left field line. The senior later scored on a Gleason single and sophomore Megen Pollini (Wolfeboro, N.H.), who entered as a pinch runner for Moore, crossed the plate when Theresa Hendrix (Scarborough, Maine/Cheverus) lofted a sac fly to left, a play that lifted the hosts to a 5-1 cushion.
An uneventful sixth inning ensued, but the seventh saw the Monks' lead shrink down to one run as the Mustangs showed some late life with three runs off three hits. Senior pitcher Rae-Marie Copan (Newton, Mass.) cruised through six frames, but Onerevo and freshman first baseman Kaitlyn Muhlenforth (Bohemia, N.Y.) led off the seventh with consecutive singles and both runners would score two batters later when Lucianna Medici (Riverside, R.I.) doubled to left-center.
Senior center fielder Megan Hall (Danielson, Conn.), who also reached with a base hit, crossed the plate on an infield groundout to cut the Mustangs' deficit down to 5-4 with two out, but Kirsten Guerrero (Fairfield, Conn.) swung at a 3-0 pitch and popped up to second to end the game.
For the Monks, Grovo went 2-4 with a run, a double and two RBI and Gleason was 1-1 with a walk, a sac fly and a pair of RBI in the triumph. Copan, who let up four runs (three earned) off eight hits with two K's, improved to 7-0 on the season with the winning decision.
For the Mustangs, Onorevo was 3-3 with two runs, Medici went 2-4 with a double and a pair of RBI and freshman catcher Emma Morton (Winchester, Mass.) added two hits in three trips in a losing effort. Freshman pitcher Nicole Handzel (Palmer, Mass.) took the loss after allowing five runs on four hits and five walks while fanning three in six innings.
GAME TWO
Despite rapidly falling temperatures, the Monks' bats came to life in the closing contest as the Royal Blue rapped 14 hits in a mercy-rule shortened 9-0 victory. St. Joe's also stranded eight baserunners in the nightcap.
Jordan ignited the SJC offense early, reaching with a hard-hit single down the left field line and later scoring on a Gleason single to provide the hosts with 1-0 advantage after one inning of play.
The Monks put three runs on the board off five hits in the second frame, when Grovo plated Ramos with an RBI single and later scored – along with pinch runner Marissa Hernandez (Goshen, N.Y.) – on a two-run double from Moore.
Saint Josephs' delivered the knockout blow in the third with five runs off five hits and a Mount Ida error to secure a 9-0 advantage. Tripp and Hendrix notched RBI singles, Gleason added a run-scoring triple and Tripp and Jordan both scored on a misplayed ball to account for the five-run third and the 9-0 final.
The Mustangs tallied a pair of hits in the first inning, but left the bases loaded and did not have a baserunner for the remainder of the closing contest.
For the Monks, Gleason was 3-3 with a run, a triple and two RBI, Jordan and Grovo tallied two hits and a pair of runs apiece and Tripp went 2-3 with a run and an RBI in the convincing victory.
Making her second appearance of the season, freshman Kylie McFadden (Dover, N.H.) tossed four innings of two-hit ball with one strikeout to earn the second win of her collegiate career. Fellow first-year Danielle Egan (Waterboro, Maine) closed with a perfect fifth inning, fanning one while throwing just nine pitches.
Muhlenforth suffered the loss in the circle after yielding nine runs (six earned) off 14 hits and four walks over four innings of work.
Both teams face off against conference foes on the road tomorrow, as Saint Joseph's plays a pair at Lasell College starting at 12:00 PM and Mount Ida treks to Emmanuel College for a twinbill starting at 12:00 PM.
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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 430-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.
