EAST BOSTON, Mass. – Third-seeded Saint Joseph's College (27-12, 16-6 GNAC) posted a pair of shutout, elimination-game victories over #1 Suffolk University (4-0) and #6 Emmanuel College (6-0) in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Softball Tournament at American Legion Playground on Saturday. With the wins, the Monks remain in contention for their fifth-consecutive GNAC Championship and will face #5 Johnson & Wales University at 10:00 AM on Sunday for a chance to face #2 Albertus Magnus College in the title bout tomorrow. As the only undefeated team remaining in the double-elimination tournament, Albertus has two chances to claim a conference championship tomorrow.
#3 Saint Joseph's 6, #6 Emmanuel 0
EAST BOSTON, Mass. – The third-seeded Saint Joseph's College (Maine) softball team scored six times in the eighth inning, including a three-run home run from senior third baseman Kim Jordan (Bangor, Maine), to post a 6-0 victory over sixth-seeded Emmanuel College this afternoon in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Tournament Semifinals at American Legion Playground in East Boston, Mass. The Monks improve to 27-12 on the season and advance to the final day of competition of the tournament, facing fifth-seeded Johnson & Wales University tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. The Saints' tournament run comes to an end as they fall to 20-17.
The teams played scoreless ball through seven innings, until Saint Joseph's took advantage of an Emmanuel miscue in the top of the eighth to score six runs.
Senior Theresa Hendrix (Scarborough, Maine/Cheverus) dumped a single into right field to lead off the frame, before advancing to second on a sacrifice and to third on a stolen base. Sophomore Jennifer Murphy (Andover, Mass.) finally broke through with a single up the middle to plate the first run of the contest. Junior left fielder Megen Pollini (Wolfeboro, N.H.) worked a one-out walk and sophomore center fielder Carla Tripp (Lovell, Maine) reached, when the Saints' first baseman couldn't handle the throw on a sacrifice bunt, to load the bases. Freshman Kelsy Gaddy (Limington, Maine) drew a walk to force in the second run of the day and keep the bases full. Senior right fielder Victoria Ramos (North Scituate, R.I.) knocked in another run with a ground out to give the Monks a 3-0 lead. Kim Jordan delivered the big blow of the inning when she drove a three-one pitch over the left fielder's head and raced around the bases for an inside-the-park three-run homer and a 6-0 cushion.
Emmanuel, which did not have a runner advance past second base the entire game, was set down in order in the eighth as Saint Joseph's secured the victory.
Senior starting pitcher Laura Jordan (Orrington, Maine) scattered six hits and did not issue a walk, while striking out two in six and a third innings of work for the Monks, before Hendrix tossed one and two-thirds innings of hitless relief to earn the victory and improve to 6-1. Sophomore hurler Jill Kilcoyne (Worcester, Mass.) (13-7) took the loss for the Saints, allowing three runs (one earned) on eight hits and two walks, while fanning nine in seven and a third innings.
Kim Jordan, Hendrix and Murphy all had two hits to pace the Saint Joseph's offense, while six players collected singles for Emmanuel, including Catherine Davis (Wethersfield, Conn.), Abbey Alexiades (Kingston, Mass.), Erin Walsh (Granby, Conn.), Brooke Ames (Boylston, Mass.), Samantha Adams (Sanford, Maine) and Marianne Halas (Lynn, Mass.).
#3 Saint Joseph's 4, #1 Suffolk 0
EAST BOSTON, Mass. – The Saint Joseph's College Monks eliminated top seed Suffolk University with a 4-0 victory in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Softball tournament on Saturday morning.
Senior Theresa Hendrix (Scarborough, Maine/Cheverus) allowed just two hits in the complete game shutout to lift the Monks to victory. Saint Joseph's would move on to later in the day defeating Emmanuel College 6-0 in eight innings as they advance to Sunday's championship game against Johnson & Wales University.
The Monks jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the home half of the first inning as junior Melissa Mayhew (Hiram, Maine) doubled home the first two runs of the contest. Sophomore Carla Tripp (Lovell, Maine) would open the inning by drawing a walk, before a two out hit by pitch to Hendrix extended the inning.
In the second, junior Megen Pollini (Wolfeboro, N.H.) led the inning off with a double as she would later come around to score on a fielder's choice off the bat of senior Victoria Ramos (North Scituate, R.I.) for the 3-0 edge.
Sophomore Jennifer Murphy (Andover, Mass.) would add a run in the sixth as her base hit plated senior Kim Jordan (Bangor, Maine) who tripled to start things.
Pollini was the lone player on either side to record multiple hits in the game as she was 2-for-3 with a run scored. Three of the Monks five hits in the contest were for extra bases.
Freshman Morgan Parmeter (Maynard, Mass.) reached base in all three of her plate appearances on the day as she accounted for one of Suffolk's two hits in the game with a single in the third and a pair of walks.
Sophomore Kristen Young (Windsor, Conn.) was 1-for-3 with a single in the third as well.
Perhaps their best scoring opportunity came in the third as both PArmeter and Young singled. Following her single that moved Parmeter to third, Young would steal second but Hendrix escaped the jam on a comebacker to the mound.
Senior Sarah Chasse (Salem, Mass.) went six innings on the mound for Suffolk as she allowed all four runs on five hits while striking out just one.
Suffolk fell in last night's opener to Johnson & Wales by a 13-0 score to move them into Saturday's loser's bracket.
With the losses Suffolk falls to a 24-12 record on the season after winning a league best 17 games during the year in conference play. They will now travel to Brandeis University for a non-conference twinbill beginning at 3:00pm on Wednesday before waiting for the ECAC Division-III New England Softball Championship Tournament field to be announced.
Saint Joseph's College will look to capture their program's fifth consecutive GNAC championship on Sunday.
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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.
