STANDISH, ME – Saint Joseph's College (25-7, 14-4 GNAC) won both ends of a doubleheader versus University of Southern Maine (6-16, 1-7 LEC) in non-conference softball action at Richard W. Bailey Field on Thursday evening. The Monks nipped the Huskies by a 4-2 margin in the opener and closed out the sweep with a 10-2 triumph in the nightcap.

GAME ONE

In the first game, Saint Joseph's scored twice on a misplayed infield pop-up with two out in the bottom of the fourth and tacked on a pair off a Victoria Ramos (North Scituate, R.I.) single and a Kim Jordan (Bangor, Maine) sac fly. With just three hits in the opener, the Huskies plated single runs in the fourth and fifth frames on a fielder's choice and a sacrifice fly, respectively.

Offensively, senior center fielder Danyelle Shufelt (Sutton, Vt.) led the Monks by going 3-3 with a stolen base while freshman first baseman Melissa Mayhew (Hiram, Maine) was 2-3 with two runs and a double and junior left fielder Theresa Hendrix (Scarborough, Maine/Cheverus) went 1-3 with two runs scored and a two-bagger.

Making the second start of her young collegiate career, freshman pitcher Erica Boulanger (Somersworth, N.H.) improved to 2-0 on the season after allowing two runs off three hits and five walks with five strikeouts in a complete-game effort.

Southern Maine senior starter Stephanie Stockwell (Buxton, Maine) suffered the loss and is now 3-12 on the year after allowing four runs (two earned) off eight hits and a free pass with three K's in the opening setback. The Huskies did not feature a repeat-hitter in the first game.

GAME TWO

Southern Maine struck first in the closing contest, as senior Katie Davis (Woburn, Mass.) led off the top of the fourth with a single and was lifted in favor of pinch runner Shauna Riordan (Sabattus, Maine), who scored on a Cara Radino (Franklin, N.J.) sac fly to right field. The USM lead was short-lived however, as the Monks scored four runs – all unearned – in the bottom of the fourth and countered a Southern Maine run in the sixth with six runs in the bottom of the inning to claim a mercy-rule victory.

Jordan, hitting out of the #9 hole, led a balanced Monks' offense by going 2-3 with a run, a triple and a pair of RBI while Hendrix went 2-3 with two runs and an RBI and freshman second baseman Alyssa Wade (Peru, Maine) scored twice and drove in a pair in the six-inning triumph.

Junior hurler Rae-Marie Copan (Newton, Mass.) saw her record improve to 10-1 after tossing three innings of one-hit ball with a pair of punch-outs while sophomore Laura Jordan (Orrington, Maine) worked three innings of two-run, four-hit relief in the closing contest.

Davis paced the Huskies by going 3-3 with a run scored and sophomore left fielder Kirsten Duross (Saco, Maine), who made two highlight-reel catches in the first game, was 1-3 with a double and an RBI in the finale.

Senior pitcher Jesse Hutchins (Sebago, Maine) slips to 3-10 on the season after yielding 10 runs (seven earned) off six hits and seven walks with three K's in the losing effort.

With the sweep, Saint Joseph's improves to 37-32 in the history of the series with University of Southern Maine. The Monks have now defeated the Huskies in eight consecutive contests dating back to the 2009 season.

During tonight's twinbill the Saint Joseph's softball team took part in a Coaches vs. Cancer event. The program had a volunteer "pass the hat"  for donations while the contests were being played and the players' parents hosted a bake "no-sale" where baked goods were bought for a donation of choice. The Southern Maine softball team also made a donation to the cause.

Saint Joseph's resumes play tomorrow when the Monks host Suffolk University in a conference doubleheader scheduled to being at 3:30 PM. Southern Maine will host conference-rival Keene State College on Saturday with the first of two tilts slated to begin at 1:00 PM.

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 350-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.