STANDISH, Maine – Saint Joseph's College (5-9, 0-2 GNAC) suffered a pair of shutout losses at the hands of Albertus Magnus College (11-3, 2-0 GNAC) at Richard W. Bailey Field on Saturday afternoon. In what was the 2016 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) opener for both teams, the Falcons posted a 2-0 victory and proceeded to complete the sweep with a 3-0 nightcap triumph.

GAME 1 – Albertus Magnus 2, Saint Joseph's 0

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Falcons produced the game's only runs off one hit and three Saint Joseph's errors in the top of the third inning. Junior second baseman Rachel Cataudella (Shelton, Conn.), who led off the frame with a single to left-center, and sophomore shortstop Brianna Whitfield (West Islip, N.Y.), who reached on a botched double-play attempt, both scored on SJC miscues.

SJC HIGHLIGHTS

• Freshman pitcher Kristal Smith (Pittston, Maine) took the loss despite tossing a gem, having allowed two unearned runs off three hits with four strikeouts in a complete-game effort, and falls to 3-2 on the season
• Junior third baseman Mariah Harrison (Buxton, Maine) was 2-3 with a pair of doubles
• Freshman right fielder Melodie Bailey (Lebanon, Maine) went 2-3 with a double

AMC HIGHLIGHTS

• Freshman starter Kristen Cunning (Hoboken, N.J.) improved to 4-1 on the year after allowing five hits with one strikeout over six innings
• Sophomore pitcher Megan Ferraro (Branford, Conn.) picked up her first save of the season with a 1-2-3 seventh inning

GAME TWO – Albertus Magnus 3, Saint Joseph's 0

HOW IT HAPPENED

Albertus Magnus employed small ball tactics and a near long ball en route to scoring a pair in the top of the fourth, as Whitfield and junior center fielder Megan Kelly (Bronx, N.Y.) dropped down consecutive bunt singles and both touched home plate when sophomore Kirsten McGinty (East Lyme, Conn.) roped a double off the right-center wall – about two feet shy of a home run.

The Falcons tacked on an insurance run on a passed ball in the top of the sixth to account for the 3-0 final.

SJC HIGHLIGHTS

• For the second time in as many games, the Monks received an admirable pitching performance to no avail, as junior Kylie McFadden (Dover, N.H.) yielded three runs (two earned) off four hits with three K's in 5.1 innings en route to falling to 1-3 on the season
• Senior pitcher Erica Boulanger (Somersworth, N.H.) tossed 1.2 innings of scoreless relief and fanned a pair while allowing a hit and a walk
• Sophomore catcher Katherine Collette (Rumford, Maine) was the Monks' lone repeat hitter and went 2-3 in the setback
• Freshman shortstop Meghan Elliott (Blackstone, Mass.) was excellent defensively, fielding nine chances – including several of the highlight-reel variety – and ups her errorless streak to seven consecutive games

AMC HIGHLIGHTS

• Ferraro earned the start in the nightcap and improved to 6-1 after posting a five-hit complete game shutout with one strikeout
• Whitfield was 2-3 with two runs scored

NOTEWORTHY

Today's shutout sweep is the first endured by the Monks since Colby College posted a pair of 2-0 victories over St. Joe's on April 21st, 2007. Saint Joseph's has suffered doubleheader goose egg losses just 15 times in the last 26 seasons.

HISTORICALLY SPEAKING

With two losses, Saint Joseph's falls to 15-4 in the history of the series with Albertus Magnus College. For the Falcons, the sweep over the Monks is the program's first in the 16-year matchup.

NEXT!

Saint Joseph's was originally scheduled to play Mount Ida College tomorrow, but the conference twinbill versus the Mustangs has been moved back to Tuesday. First pitch is slated for 3:30 PM at Bailey Field.

Albertus Magnus returns to action on Saturday, April 9, with a home conference doubleheader versus Lasell that gets underway at noon.

#GOMONKS 

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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.