STANDISH, Maine – Saint Joseph's College (20-14, 16-4 GNAC) posted a pair of shutout victories, 2-0 and 6-0, over Lasell College (6-28, 2-18 GNAC) in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) softball action at Richard W. Bailey Field on Saturday afternoon. With the sweep, the Monks extend their season-high winning streak to nine games.
SENIOR MOMENT:
Before the first pitch was thrown, the Monks held a brief ceremony to honor the program's five seniors: Casidee Couture (Jay, Maine), Mariah Harrison (Buxton, Maine), Kylie McFadden (Dover, N.H.), Jennifer Murphy (Andover, Mass.), and Carla Tripp (Lovell, Maine). The 2017 class gathered on the third base line with their parents and family members and received several gifts from their teammates.
GAME ONE – SAINT JOSEPH'S 2, LASELL 0
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Saint Joseph's produced all the required offense with a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the first, when senior center fielder Carla Tripp (Lovell, Maine) led off with a single and later scored on an infield error and freshman second baseman Libby Pomerleau (Saco, Maine), who reached on said error, crossed home plate when sophomore first baseman Melodie Bailey (Lebanon, Maine) grounded into a fielder's choice.
IN THE CIRCLE:
SJC senior starter Kylie McFadden (Dover, N.H.) scattered two hits with three strikeouts in 5.2 dominant frames before giving way to freshman Kate Whitney (Jonesboro, Maine), who earned her first collegiate save after allowing one hit with two K's in 1.1 innings of relief.
Lasell senior starter Krystel Enko (Haydenville, Mass.) took the loss and falls to 3-10 on the year after giving up a pair of unearned runs off seven hits with a walk and a punch-out in six innings.
OFF THE BAT – SAINT JOSEPH'S:
- Senior third baseman Mariah Harrison (Buxton, Maine) reached base three times with two hits and walk in three plate appearances
- Senior right fielder Casidee Couture (Jay, Maine) was 2-2 with a pair of singles
OFF THE BAT – LASELL:
- Freshman catcher Arianna Genovese (Rocky Hill, Conn.) went 2-3 with two singles
GAME TWO – SAINT JOSEPH'S 6, LASELL 0
HOW IT HAPPENED:
After being held without a run for seven consecutive innings, the Monks' bats came to life with five runs off five hits and a Lasell error in the bottom of the third. Tripp opened the inning with a double to deep left-center and moved to third on a Pomerleau bunt single. Tripp and Pomerleau both scored when Harrison and senior Jennifer Murphy (Andover, Mass.) followed with consecutive singles to center field to make it a 2-0 run game before Harrison sprinted home on a passed ball and Murphy trotted home on a Bailey triple off the base of the wall in center. Freshman Kaylee Burns (Saco, Maine) capped the five-run third with a groundout to second, allowing Bailey to score easily from third.
St. Joe's closed out the game scoring when sophomore Anita Mooradian (Windham, Maine) plated Couture with a single to right in the bottom of the fifth.
IN THE CIRCLE:
SJC freshman Caitlyn King (Old Town, Maine) improves to 2-1 after allowing eight hits and a walk with one strikeout in six innings. Fellow first-year Katelyn Olsen (Hartford, Maine) walked one and yielded a hit in an otherwise clean inning of relief.
Lasell freshman pitcher Nicole Arcese (Holliston, Mass.) surrendered six runs off 11 hits and three walks with a pair of punch-outs in six innings and falls to 3-12 on the season with the setback.
OFF THE BAT – SAINT JOSEPH'S:
- Harrison went 2-3 with a run and an RBI
- Murphy was 2-4 with a run and an RBI
- Bailey went 2-3 with a run, a triple, and an RBI
- Pomerleau added a single, a run, and a stolen base in two trips to the plate
OFF THE BAT – LASELL:
- Senior shortstop Erin Smith (Gorham, Maine) was 2-3 and recorded the 100th hit of her career with a single in the top of the fifth
- Freshman first baseman Victoria Spellman (Rocky Hill, Conn.) went 3-3 with a double
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:
With the two wins, Saint Joseph's is now 20-4 all-time versus Lasell College and has now defeated the Lasers in 19-consecutive meetings dating back to the 2008 campaign.
NEXT!
Both teams resume play with GNAC doubleheaders tomorrow, when Saint Joseph's travels to Albertus Magnus College and Lasell hosts Norwich University. Both twinbills are scheduled to begin at 12:00 PM.
#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.
