NEW HAVEN, CT - The Saint Joseph's College softball program played the team's first conference games in six years on Monday afternoon when the Lady Monks defeated GNAC foe Albertus Magnus College 8-1 and 10-0. SJC starting pitchers SO Christy Wezowicz (Granville, MA) and FY Kiera Walsh (Benton, ME) were dominant on the mound as Wezowicz struck out a career-high 12 batters in game one and Walsh tossed a one-hitter in game two. JR Alysn Ludwig (Waldoboro, ME) and SO Liddy van der Linden (Worcester, MA) each collected five hits in the two game set. The St. Joe's softball team, which has held NCAA Division III Independent status for the last five seasons, improves to 7-5 on the season.

Game One

St. Joe's staked a 3-run lead in the top of the first inning after Alysn Ludwig, SO Anna Willis (Gorham, ME) and SO Jillian Kimball (Albany TWP, ME) scored to open the game. Ludwig scored off a van der Linden sac fly and Willis and Kimball crossed home plate via a Falcons misplayed ball off the bat of FY Alyssa Dunn (Standish, ME).

The Falcons would score their only run of the day in the first inning when cleanup hitter SR Jess Zanghi (Milford, CT) drove home SR Erin Blake (West Haven, CT) with a double.

After the two-base knock by Zanghi, Wezowicz did not allow a baserunner to reach until JR Jamie Bichun (Bristol, CT) singled with two out in the bottom of the fifth inning.

The Lady Monks extended their lead to 5-1 in the top of the fifth when Alyssa Dunn hit a two out, two RBI double.

JR Kim Bechard (Lewiston, ME), JR Liz Jordan (Sandwich, MA) and Alysn Ludwig scored runs in the top of the sixth to help St. Joe's take an 8-1 lead. FY Renee Leach (Shapleigh, ME) recorded a pinch-hit RBI double in the inning.

Alysn Ludwig and Liddy van der Linden each had 2 hits and Alyssa Dunn registered 3 RBI's in the program's first conference victory since the Lady Monks defeated the former Maine Athletic Conference foe Husson College, 4-3, on April 24th 2002 in Bangor, ME.

GAME TWO

St. Joe's struck first again in game two when offensive catalyst Alysn Ludwig scored after a single, a stolen base and an error by the Falcons' centerfielder. The Lady Monks would add three more runs in the third to take a 4-0 lead with help from slugger Liddy van der Linden, who roped a two-RBI double and later scored on a wild pitch.

Freshman phenom Alyssa Dunn recorded an RBI single in the fifth inning to send home van der Linden, who reached on a single. Jillian Kimball opened the inning with a double and scored on a miscue by the Albertus Magnus second baseman. The Lady Monks led 6-0 through 5 innings of play and tacked on 4 more runs in the top of the sixth to take a 10-0 lead and enforce the mercy rule. SO Kayla Soucy (Colebrook, NH), Alysn Ludwig, Anna Willis and Liddy van der Linden accounted for the runs in the inning.

Although the Lady Monks' offense exploded for 10 runs and 13 hits in the game, the real story was the pitching of freshman Kiera Walsh. After Falcons' leadoff hitter Erin Blake led off the bottom of first with a single, Walsh proceeded to sit down 18 consecutive AMC batters to record a one-hitter. The freshman hurler did not allow a base on balls and struck out 7 in the victory to improve her season record to 4-3.

Liddy van der Linden was 3-3 with 3 runs, 3 RBI's and a double and Alyssa Dunn was 3-3 with an RBI for St. Joe's. Alysn Ludwig was 3-4 with a run and a stolen base, SR Megan Farrell (Abington, MA) had an RBI single and Renee Leach recorded a pinch-hit RBI double in the victory.

Overall, the SJC offense scored 18 runs on 19 hits in the two games. Wezowicz and Walsh combined to record 19 strikeouts while allowing no walks and just 5 hits and the Lady Monks' defense did not make an error in thirteen innings of play.

The Lady Monks will return to action when they play host to GNAC opponent Daniel Webster College on Friday, 3/28. Due to field conditions, the site and time of the game is TBD. The game information will be posted on the SJC Athletics website when confirmation is received.