Saturday, April 26th: RESULTS

GAME 7: #3 Simmons - 6, #5 Suffolk - 1 (Suffolk eliminated) - BOX

GAME 8: #4 University of Saint Joseph (CT) - 10, #6 Norwich - 4 (Norwich eliminated) - BOX

4/26/14 – Sharks Best Rams in GNAC Tourney, 6-1 

STANDISH, ME – Third-seeded Simmons College (25-9, 17-5 GNAC) defeated #5 Suffolk University (21-23, 11-11 GNAC), 6-1, in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Softball Tournament elimination game at Richard W. Bailey Field on Saturday morning.

Simmons took advantage of three fielding errors by Suffolk, which enlisted a pair of pitchers – Sarah Chasse (Salem, Mass.) and Kim Crucioli (North Andover, Mass.) – who combined to walk 10 batters in a losing effort. The Sharks move on and will play another losers' bracket contest – versus University of Saint Joseph (CT) or Norwich University – at 4:00 PM. For the Rams, the loss signals the end of the 2014 campaign.

The Sharks kicked off the game scoring with a run off one hit in the top of the first, when junior shortstop Hannah Cunningham (Cotuit, Mass.) singled and scored on a bases-loaded walk issues to Alaina DeNoncour (Johnston, R.I.). The damage could have been much worse, as Chasse worked out of a bases loaded with one out scenario by fanning Jess Uschmann (Feeding Hills, Mass.) and Lauren Backhaus (Windsor, Conn.).

Simmons delivered a major blow in the top of the third, plating three runs on two hits and a pair of Suffolk miscues to gain a 4-0 cushion. The Sharks batted around in the frame, starting with sophomore center fielder Heather White (Westfield, Mass.), who opened the inning with a base hit through the right side. White moved to second on a sac bunt by DeNoncour and quickly scored on a single by Uschmann, who moved up to third on an outfield error before being replaced by pinch-runner Amy Maher (Milton, Mass.), who scampered home when a fly ball hit by Backhaus was dropped, making it a 3-0 game. Sophomore second baseman Mikaela Caracciolo (North Attleboro, Mass.) extended the Sharks' lead with another bases-loaded walk, as Simmons owned a 4-0 cushion through two and a half innings.

Suffolk found the scoreboard in the bottom of the third when Chasse plated freshman left fielder Emily Martel (East Hartford, Conn.) with a double to left-center, cutting the Rams' deficit to 4-1 after three.

Simmons tacked on a run in the fourth, when freshman Tanya Stasio (Revere, Mass.) – pinch-running for DeNoncour, who walked – scored on a Backhaus single to right. The Sharks assumed a 6-1 cushion when junior left fielder Jen Field (Windham, Maine/McAuley) reached via bunt single and later scored on a misplayed ball.

For the Sharks, Christina Mulcahy (Cambridge, Mass.) was 2-3 with a run and a stolen base and White went 2-4 with a run. Backhaus picked up the victory after yielding a run off four hits and a walk with six strikeouts in a complete-game effort.

4/26/14 - Cadets eliminated from GNAC Playoffs with 10-4 loss to USJ

COURTESY OF NORWICH SPORTS INFORMATION

STANDISH, Maine – The Norwich University softball team was eliminated from the 2014 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament on Saturday afternoon after a 10-4 loss to the Univ. of St. Joseph (Conn.) in the loser's bracket.

Norwich (18-18) couldn't hold a 4-1 lead that it built up after the first inning, surrendering runs in four straight innings starting in the top of the third as No. 4-seed St. Joseph (Conn.) capitalized on three key Cadet errors.

Sophomore Angie Hershberger (Felton, Calif.) continued her strong late season push, delivering the big blow in the bottom of the first inning with a bases-clearing three-run double to break a 1-1 tie. Senior Abby Belcher (Winthrop, Mass.) also had a RBI double that scored Melissa Rome (Enfield, Conn.) earlier in the inning.

After throwing every inning for Norwich on the mound in the 2014 playoffs in a yeoman's effort, junior Corinne Baita (Rochester, N.H.) finally showed signs of wilting in the top of the fourth inning, giving up two doubles, two runs, a walk and throwing a passed ball that proved to be her final pitch of the season. NU head coach Julie Craig pulled her ace for senior Kaylie Miller (Long Lake, N.Y.).

Miller gave up a sacrifice fly that tied the game with her first batter and then gave up a walk and back-to-back singles that gave the Blue Jays the lead at 5-4 that they would never look back from.

Miller got out of the fourth, but USJ tacked on three more runs in the top of the fifth to take the wind out of Norwich's sails.

By then time USJ took the 5-4 lead, the Blue Jays had their ace Patti Sciglimpaglia on the mound after Danielle Circosta started the game. As she did in the regular season meeting, Sciglimpaglia silenced the Norwich bats, going 4.2 innings scattering four hits and striking out four while walking one. She also was effective at the plate, going 4-for-5 with two RBIs.

Every USJ hitter recorded at least one hit as the Blue Jays notched 14 against the Norwich pitching duo.

Belcher, Rome and Payton Warner (Harwich, Mass.) each had two hits to lead the Cadets.

Norwich finished tied for fifth place with Suffolk. St. Joseph (Conn.) will take on Simmons in the next round of the loser's bracket. Johnson & Wales and St. Joseph's (Maine) meet in the winner's bracket finals Saturday.

Saturday's game marked the final one in the careers of Belcher, Miller, Erin Clark (Newbury, Vt.) and Briana Day (Yelm, Wash.). They compiled a 74-66 record over their four-year careers in the Maroon & Gold.

4/26/14 - GNAC Softball & Baseball Tournament Schedules Reshuffled

STANDISH, ME – A total of three Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) softball and baseball tournament contests have been postponed due to lingering rainfall. As a result, Sunday figures to be a very busy day at Ward Park, which houses Richard W. Bailey Field and Larry Mahaney Diamond on the Campus of Saint Joseph's College.

For baseball, this afternoon's losers' bracket contest featuring #1 Suffolk University and #4 Johnson & Wales University, has been pushed to a 11:00 AM start on Sunday. The GNAC Championship - #2 Saint Joseph's versus the Suffolk/Johnson & Wales winner – will begin at 2:30 PM. The if-necessary contest would be played on another date, TBD. As per GNAC by-laws, teams participating in the GNAC Baseball Tournament will not play in more than two games on the same day.

For softball, today's winners' bracket game - #1 Saint Joseph's versus #2 Johnson & Wales – has been moved to a 10:00 AM start tomorrow and the losers' bracket contest, featuring #3 Simmons College and #4 University of Saint Joseph (CT), will begin at 12:00 PM. The loser of the Saint Joseph's/Johnson & Wales matchup will face the winner of the Simmons/USJ contest at 2:00 PM. The GNAC Championship is slated for a 4:00 PM start. The if-necessary contest would be played on another date, TBD. As per GNAC by-laws, teams participating in the GNAC Softball Tournament will not play in more than three games on the same day.

Winners of the GNAC Baseball & Softball Championships earn an automatic qualifier into the NCAA Tournament, which begins on May 7th for softball and May 14th for baseball.

UPDATED TOURNAMENT SCHEDULES:

BASEBALL: Sunday, April 27th:

GAME G: #4 Johnson & Wales vs. #1 Suffolk – 11:00 AM (Loser eliminated) *

GAME H (Championship): #2 Saint Joseph's vs. Winner of Game G – 2:30 PM

GAME I: If necessary – DATE/TIME TBD

SOFTBALL: Sunday, April 27th:

GAME 9: @1 Saint Joseph's vs. #2 Johnson & Wales – 10:00 AM*

GAME 10: #3 Simmons vs. University of Saint Joseph (CT) – 12:00 PM*

GAME 11: Loser of Game 9 vs. Winner of Game 10 – 2:00 PM

GAME 12 (Championship): Winner of Game 11 vs. Winner of Game 9 – 4:00 PM

GAME 13: If necessary – DATE/TIME TBD

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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.