Freshman Cassandra Squeri went 3-for-6 at the plate today as Stonehill split two games with Saint Anselm.

Skyhawks walk off with opener, 5-4, before falling 4-1 in game two

EASTON, Mass. (April 25, 2014) – Stonehill College moved to within one win of clinching a berth in next week's Northeast-10 Conference Tournament with a doubleheader split against Saint Anselm College today in NE-10 Northeast Division softball action at Gartland Field.

Sophomore Megan Staudle (New Windsor, N.Y./Cornwall Central) and freshman Cassandra Squeri (New Providence, N.J./New Providence) each posted 3-for-6 efforts at the plate to lead the Skyhawks, while freshman Michelle Carbone (Deer Park, N.Y./St. Anthony's) went 2-for-6 with a double, one RBI, and the game-winning walk-off single in Stonehill's game one victory.

Senior Nicole Boucher (Woonsocket, R.I./Woonsocket) paced the Saint Anselm offense, as she went 4-for-7 with a walk, and classmate Gina Treglia (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield Warde) added a 3-for-6 effort with a run scored. Junior Hayley LeClaire (Hudson Falls, N.Y./Hudson Falls) went 3-for-3 with a double, a walk, and one RBI in game one, and classmate Hannah Byrne (Lynn, Mass./Lynn Classical) contributed two doubles and two RBI in the opener as well.

Stonehill rallied from a late four-run deficit to walk off with a victory in game one of today's doubleheader. Saint Anselm starter Tayla Trask (Lincoln, Maine/Mattanawcook Academy) took a no-hitter into the fourth inning, before eventually giving up five runs and taking the loss.

Saint Anselm took an early lead, as the Hawks put four runs on the board in the first inning before adding another in the second. Boucher led off the top of the first with a single, and advanced to second as the next batter grounded out. LeClaire followed with a single and then stole second to put two runners in scoring position. After Gauthier drew a walk to load the bases, senior Olivia Story (Middleton, Mass./Masconomet) drove in the game's first run with a sacrifice fly to center field. Byrne capped off the three-run frame with a double down the right field line, scoring Gauthier and LeClaire, before being caught in a rundown and tagged out at third base. Saint Anselm tacked on another run the next inning on an RBI single by LeClaire to go up 4-0 after two.

After failing to generate any offense in the first five innings, Stonehill rallied to tie the score at four in the bottom of the sixth. Sophomore Lauren Esposito (Middlefield, Conn./Coginchaug) reached base to lead off the frame on a hit by pitch, and came around to score on the next play as a single off the bat of sophomore Alison Sumski (Amherst, N.H./Souhegan) was misplayed in the outfield, allowing Sumski to advance to third. After the next two batters reached base, a Carbone sacrifice bunt put two runners in scoring position with one out. Sophomore Megan Ruonavaara (Rocky Hill, Conn./Rocky Hill) followed with an RBI groundout, and senior Lindsay McKillop (East Meadow, N.Y./East Meadow) tied the score on the next play with an RBI single.

Sumski reached base on another Saint Anselm error to lead off the seventh, and she advanced to second on a sacrifice. After another error put Sumski on third, Carbone delivered an RBI single into shallow right field to end the contest.

Sophomore Megan Staudle posted a 3-for-6 effort at the plate today.

Saint Anselm 4, Stonehill 1  

Junior Paige Cormier (Rochester, N.H./Spaulding) led Saint Anselm to a win in game two, as she went the distance, allowing just one unearned run on seven hits while striking out four and walking one. Sophomore Pattie Turner (Warwick, R.I./Toll Gate) paced the offense with a 3-for-3 effort, including a home run, while Treglia and junior Kasey Moran (Medford, Mass./Medford) added two hits apiece.

After three scoreless frames, Saint Anselm put together a two-out rally in the top of the fourth to take a 3-0 lead. Turner and Treglia got it started with consecutive singles, and sophomore Emily Crannell (Wilmington, Mass./Wilmington) plated the game's first run with a double to left center. After Stonehill intentionally walked Boucher to load the bases, Moran knocked in two more runs with a double to left field.

Stonehill got one run back in the bottom of the third, but the Hawks regained their four-run lead in the sixth on a solo shot by Turner and held on for a 4-1 victory.

Stonehill (20-24, 14-14 NE-10) and Saint Anselm (25-13, 17-9 NE-10) will be back in action tomorrow with a doubleheader to wrap up the regular season. With a win in tomorrow's opener, Stonehill will clinch a spot in the NE-10 playoffs that begin on Tuesday. Tomorrow will also serve as senior day for McKillop, Jocelynne Morrell (West Haven, Conn./West Haven), and Brianna Gunter (Amherst, N.H./Souhegan).

For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter and Facebook. Fans can also download the Stonehill Skyhawks mobile app on iTunes and the Android Market.