Yesenia Marrero had two doubles in the Skyhawks 5-1 loss to Northern St.

Stonehill Drops Two Decisions, 8-4, 5-1

Dowling Boxscore
Northern St. Boxscore  

Kissimmee, Fla. -   The Skyhawks fell to 0-6 on the season after losing two close decisions on Tuesday at the Rebel Games. Stonehill dropped their first game of the day, 8-4 to Dowling, despite Kate Brides (West Bridgewater, Mass.) going 4-4 with two doubles and an RBI.  Against Northern St., the team was limited to six hits, falling 5-1 to the Wolves.

In the first game of the day, neither team could put a run across through the first two and a half innings as Stonehill pitcher Kaitlin Andrews (Hudson, Mass.) and Dowling's Stephanie Plochochi combined to allow just three hits.

Kristen Clark (Brockton, Mass.) led off the bottom of the third with a walk and shortstop Chelsea Stryker (Baldwin, N.Y.) reached first on a throwing error by Plochochi that moved Clark to second. Brides then smacked a double down the left field line to score Clark and bring Stryker to third. A Sarah Stumper (St. James, N.Y.) walk loaded the bases for Courtney Young (Danvers, Mass.) who hit a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Stryker. Brides scored the Skyhawks final run of the inning on Yesenia Marrero's (Brockton, Mass.) fielder's choice.

The Lions returned the favor in the bottom of the inning, as Jackie Hannan doubled to right field with one out and Emily Slack went yard to cut the Stonehill lead to 3-2. Andrew got out the final two batters to end the inning.

The teams were locked in a 3-2 score until the top of the sixth when Dowling exploded for five runs in the frame.  Andrews walked the first batter and then got the next two to fly out. However, the Lions hit four straight singles to score three runs and chase Andrews. Samantha Krantz (Hampton Bays, N.Y.) entered in relief and promptly gave up a two run double to Ami Gran and walked the next batter, but the freshman struck out Jessica Roque to end the inning.

Dowling added another run in the top of the seventh.  Stryker and Brides both singled to open the final frame. After two outs by Stumper and Young, Kelley Reardon (Burlington, Mass.) came up with pinch hit walk to load the bases. Katy Abarr (Richmond, R.I.) then earned a walk on a 14 pitch at bat to bring home Stryker to cut the lead to 8-4. A pop up to the first baseman ended by Meghan Sheehy (East Islip, N.Y.) ended any chance of a comeback.

Against Northern St., the Wolves took a 1-0 lead on home run in just their second at bat of the game, however Reardon got out of the inning without any more trouble.

The score stayed 1-0 until the top of the fourth. With two outs, Clark beat out a throw by the shortstop to reach first and Marrero drove her home with a deep double to left field. Marrero was stranded on second, as Sheehy struck out to end the inning.

In the fourth the Wolves scored four runs to break the 1-1 tie.  Northern St. got three hits in the inning, but were aided by a Reardon walk and an error by Marrero. The Skyhawks finally got out of the inning with a runner on third on a diving catch by Ashley Langlois (Ridgefield, Conn.).

Stonehill had a chance to cut into the Northern St deficit in the sixth after a double by Young and an error by shortstop Samantha Francis gave the Skyhawks runners on first and third with two out.  However, Marrero stuck out looking to end the threat.

In the top of the seventh, Reardon struck out two batters on her way to mowing down the Wolves 1-2-3.  With one out in the bottom of the inning, Sarah Bolasevich (Cromwell, Conn.), in her first at bat of the season was hit by a pitch.  She advanced to second on Stryker's single to centerfield, however any chance of a comeback ended as Abarr and Brides popped up to the first baseman to end the inning.

The Skyhawks have Wednesday off and return to action on Thursday when they play Concordia St. Paul and Indianapolis.