BOSTON, MA – Saint Joseph's (18-4, 11-1 GNAC) earned a pair of mercy-rule victories over Emmanuel College (4-22, 2-12 GNAC) on Thursday evening. The Monks routed the Saints 19-0 in the opener before taking the nightcap by a 9-0 margin to collect the sweep and the team's ninth consecutive victory.

The Monks built a huge lead early in the opener and never looked back.  Saint Joseph's put three runs on the board in the first, eight in the second and two in the third to go out in front, 13-0 after three innings played.  The Monks' solid hitting display was sparked by a three-for-three performance by senior centerfielder Emily Leverone (Hampton, N.H.), who opened things up with a double in the first, before hitting a single in the second and a solo homerun in the third.

Junior first baseman Heather Tripp (Lovell, Maine) smashed a three-run homer in the top of the second, which scored Leverone, Connie Grovo (Limington, Maine) and Laura Jordan (Bangor, Maine) to put the Monks up, 6-0.  St. Joe's went on to score five more runs in the inning, before putting together a two-run third. A fourth inning grand slam by sophomore shortstop Lindsay Moore (Barrington, N.H.) put the Monks up, 18-0.  One more solo shot to left-center by Jordan in the top of the fifth brought the spread to 19-0.

Senior pitcher Maddie Kluna (Standish, Maine) was solid throughout for the Monks.  Kluna threw a one-hitter, with the lone Emmanuel hit coming off the bat of lead-off batter Julia Levins (Uxbridge, Mass.) in the Saints' first at-bat.  Kluna fanned 10 for her fifth win of the year.  Junior Kelly Lloid (Issaquah, Wash.), sophomore Jennifer Garrity (Lynn, Mass.) and Levins shared time on the mound for the Saints.

Levins opened up game two in the circle for the Saints and struck out two Monks, sending the visitors out in the field scoreless for the bottom of the side.  Lloid reached on a two-out single for the Saints in the first and Garrity walked, but Saint Joseph's sophomore pitcher Rae-Marie Copan (Newton, Mass.) retired the final Emmanuel batter and the Saints stranded two.

The Monks got on the board first, scoring five runs in the second after several Emmanuel miscues. Theresa Hendrix (Scarborough, Maine/Cheverus) scored on a wild pitch after reaching on a walk.  An Emmanuel throwing error then scored three runs and a single by Tripp drove in one more to give the Monks a 5-0 lead.

Kluna drilled a two-out solo shot over the left field fence in the third for her first collegiate homerun and St. Joe's led, 6-0.  The Saints were held hitless in the bottom of the side.  The top of the fourth saw consecutive errors in the Emmanuel outfield, followed by singles from Tripp and Hendrix and the Monks went up, 9-0.  The fifth was a hitless inning for both teams and the Monks took game two after five, 9-0.

Copan earned the shutout for the Monks, picking up her 6th win of the season, and giving up just three hits.  Levins took the loss for the Saints, striking out five of the 25 batters she faced.

The Saints will return to GNAC action this Saturday (4/7), when they face the Sharks of Simmons College.  The double-header will be played at UMass-Boston and is scheduled to being at 1:00PM.  Saint Joseph's will host the Wildcats of Johnson & Wales University on Saturday in the GNAC double-header beginning at 1:00PM.

COURTESY OF EMMANUEL COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION