CLERMONT, Fla. – Saint Joseph's College (4-4) dropped both games in the STC Spring Games at Legends Way on Thursday. In game one, the Monks lost 7-2 to Aurora University (5-3) and 7-4 to #19 Moravian College (7-0) in the afternoon game.
Aurora 7, Saint Joseph's 2
HOW IT HAPPENED
Aurora University got on the board first with a sacrifice fly off the bat of Lauren Huebner (Countryside, Ill) in the top of the second inning. The Spartans would add single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to give themselves a 3-0 cushion.
The Monks would respond with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth thanks to back-to-back RBI singles from Jennifer Murphy (Andover, Mass.) and Kristal Smith (Pittston, Maine), closing the gap at 3-2.
Aurora immediately responded in a big way with four runs in the top of the seventh on the strength of four hits and two errors. The inning began innocently as Monks starting pitcher Kylie McFadden (Dover, N.H.) struck out the leadoff hitter. After the strikeout, the Spartan bats countered with: single, double (RBI with batter advancing to third on an error), single (RBI), groundout, reach on error (run scored), single (RBI) to push the lead to 7-2.
LEADERS
- Shannon Laubauskas (Mexico, Maine) went 2-3 with a double and a run scored.
- Melodie Bailey (Lebanon, Maine) was 1-2 with a run scored.
- Murphy and Smith each went 1-3 with an RBI.
- Anita Mooradian (Windham, Maine) collected a pinch-hit single in her AB.
NOTEWORTHY
McFadden was effective and able to keep the Monks close until that seventh inning. A big part of that was stranding runners; the junior stranded nine Spartans over 6.2 IP. Thursday was the first start in which McFadden earn a complete game and despite allowing six earned runs, she sports a 2.91 ERA over 21.2 innings of work.
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING
Just like the baseball team, the Monks softball squad lost to a team from Illinois on Thursday. Also like the baseball team, the softball team has a great history against Illinois, carrying a .667 winning percentage (14-7) against the Prairie State.
Moravian 7, Saint Joseph's 4
HOW IT HAPPENED
Moravian College came out with their bats firing. After setting down the Monks 1-2-3 in the top of the first inning, the Greyhounds scored three runs in the bottom half of the frame and two more in the second inning, jumping out to a 5-0 lead.
Saint Joseph's did not turtle. The Monks answered with two runs of their own in the top of the fourth. Melissa Mayhew (Hiram, Maine) and Jennifer Murphy (Andover, Mass.) worked back-to-back walks to start inning. Meghan Elliott (Blackstone, Mass.) pinch ran for Murphy and she, along with Mayhew, were moved to second and third on a groundout to the right side. A groundout back to the mound from the next batter saw the Monks in danger of wasting two runners in scoring position with less than two outs, but senior outfielder Megen Pollini (Wolfeboro, N.H.) embraced the pressure. Pollini laced a two-run double to center field, scoring Mayhew and Elliott, cutting the deficit to 5-2.
The Greyhounds wasted no time getting those two runs back, tallying a pair of their own in the bottom half of the fourth. Saint Joseph's pulled within three again with two more runs in the top of the sixth but that 7-4 score would ultimately be the final.
LEADERS
- Pollini went 1-3 with 2 RBI
- Murphy reached on all three plate appearances (double, two walks) and knocked in a run.
- Mariah Harrison (Buxton, Maine) went 1-3 with an RBI.
- Mayhew was 1-2 with a pair of runs scored.
NOTEWORTHY
The grind of working behind the plate in the Florida heat has not affected Murphy; at least not according to her performance. The junior has hit in four straight games and in seven of eight. Murphy leads the team with a .550 (11-20) batting average to go with three doubles and 7 RBI.
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING
Saint Joseph's and Moravian met once prior to Thursday's 7-4 loss for the Monks. On March 17, 2000 the Monks lost, 14-5 for their ninth straight loss to start the season. Saint Joseph's would extend that losing streak to 12 before their first win of the season on April 5, a 4-3 win over New England. The Monks would not mind a bit of history repeating, considering, despite the 12-game losing streak they would get hot: After finding themselves 3-15 on April 11, they would win 20 of their next 22 games to become New England Champions.
NEXT!
Saint Joseph's College closes out their Florida trip tomorrow. Game one is at 9:00 a.m. against St. Mary's (Ind.) and the final game will be 1:00 p.m. against Haverford.
COURTESY OF JOHN SWASEY '11
#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.
