STANDISH, Maine – Saint Joseph's College (21-7, 13-5 GNAC) swept Anna Maria College (3-22, 1-16 GNAC) in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) softball doubleheader at Richard W. Bailey Field on Wednesday afternoon. The Monks routed the AMCATS, 10-2 in five innings, in the opener and recorded a 4-0 shutout in the nightcap to complete the sweep. Sophomore pitcher Kyle McFadden (Somersworth, N.H.) tossed a one-hitter with five strikeouts in the game-two triumph.
GAME ONE
Leading 4-2 through two-and-a-half innings, the Monks rattled off six unanswered runs to earn their first mercy-rule victory since the Royal Blue toppled Rockford College, 13-5, in Fort Myers on March 13th.
Saint Joseph's grabbed an early lead with two runs off a pair of hits and an Anna Maria error in the bottom of the first, when senior third baseman Kim Jordan (Bangor, Maine) launched her third home run of the season, a solo blast, and senior Theresa Hendrix (Scarborough, Maine/Cheverus) tripled and scored on a misplayed ball in the outfield. Both runs crossed the plate with two out.
The AMCATS cut their deficit in half in the top of the second, when sophomore Amy Clement (Townsend, Mass.) doubled and later scored on an Elizabeth Haggerty (Charlton, Mass.) base hit. The Monks responded with two more runs in the bottom of the inning, when freshmen Allie Pike (Buxton, Maine) and Alyssah Dennett (Augusta, Maine) notched RBI doubles to make it a 4-1 game.
The conference counterparts both scored a single run in the third, when AMCATS freshman Shannon Latour (Millbury, Mass.), a pinch runner, stole second and raced home on an infield error and SJC junior outfielder Megen Pollini (Wolfeboro, N.H.) plated Hendrix, who reached via base hit, with a single up the middle.
In the bottom of the fourth, Saint Joseph's plated five runs off three hits and a pair of Anna Maria miscues to secure a 10-2 cushion. The big blow of the inning came off the bat of Hendrix, who drove a three-run jack over the right-center fence. Pollini knocked in Melissa Mayhew (Hiram, Maine) with a sac fly to right and sophomore catcher Jennifer Murphy (Andover, Mass.), who reached with a walk, scored when freshman Kelsy Gaddy (Limington, Maine) reached on an infield error.
Hendrix led the Monks' offense by going 3-3 with three runs, a triple, a home run and three RBI while Pollini was 2-2 with a pair of RBI in the lopsided triumph. Senior pitcher Laura Jordan (Orrington, Maine) picked up her fourth win of the season after allowing two runs (one earned) off seven hits and a walk with four K's in four innings. Freshman hurler Abigail Murphy (Randolph, Mass.) allowed one hit in an inning of relief.
For the AMCATS, sophomore Kaitlyn Moran (Leicester, Mass.) was 3-3 and Haggerty went 2-3 with a triple and an RBI. Senior pitcher Nichole Lowe (Saugus, Mass.) took the loss after giving up eight runs (six earned) on nine hits and a walk with a pair of punch-outs in 3.1 innings while sophomore Alexis Romano (Lowell, Mass.) yielded two runs (one earned) off a hit and a walk with a strikeout in 0.2 innings of relief.
GAME TWO
The closing contest featured a completely different tone, as McFadden sat 13 consecutive batters before allowing a baserunner. The perfect-game effort was dashed with one out in the top of the fifth, when Clement lofted a 1-2 pitch to left for what turned out to be the AMCATS' only hit in a 4-0 loss.
Saint Joseph's recorded a pair of runs in the bottom of the first, when Jordan knocked in sophomore center fielder Carla Tripp (Lovell, Maine), who led off with a double to left and scored on a Mayhew base knock to center.
The Monks doubled their lead in the bottom of the third, providing McFadden with what turned out to be unnecessary breathing room. Jordan opened the frame with a single to left, stole second, and sprinted home on a Hendrix double to deep center field. Mayhew promptly plated Hendrix with a single to center, making it a 4-0 game through three innings.
Unfazed by losing the perfect game bid in the fifth, McFadden went on to retire eight straight AMCAT batters to complete the one-hitter.
The Monks featured five repeat-hitters in the victory, as Hendrix was 2-3 with a run, two doubles and an RBI, Mayhew went 2-4 with a pair of RBI, Jordan was 2-4 with two runs, an RBI and a solo homer, Tripp went 2-4 with a run and a double, and freshman catcher Katherine Collette (Rumford, Maine) added a pair of hits, including a two-bagger, in three trips to the plate.
McFadden tossed just 62 pitches – 48 for strikes – over seven innings in a contest that required barely 60 minutes to complete.
Anna Maria junior pitcher Angela Vousboukis (Swampscott, Mass.) took the loss after allowing four runs off 11 hits and a pair of walks with four K's in six innings.
With the sweep, Saint Joseph's improves to 8-1 in the history of the series with Anna Maria College.
Saint Joseph's will play at University of Southern Maine tomorrow in a non-conference doubleheader scheduled to begin at 3:30 PM. Anna Maria resumes play with a GNAC twinbill at Simmons College starting at 3:00 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 474-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.
