Sophomore Michelle Carbone's two-run homer in the first inning was the difference in Stonehill's 2-1 win over Saint Michael's this afternoon.

Sophomore tosses complete game in the circle, hits two-run homer at the plate

EASTON, Mass. (April 11, 2015) – Sophomore Michelle Carbone (Deer Park, New York/St. Anthony's) went 2-for-3 at the plate with a two-run homer and logged seven innings of one-run ball in the circle to lead Stonehill College to a 2-1 victory over Saint Michael's College this afternoon in Northeast-10 Conference Northeast Division softball action at Gartland Field.           

Carbone earns her first win of the season after going the distance and giving up just one run on five hits while issuing a pair of walks. Junior Megan Staudle (New Windsor, New York/Cornwall Central) and sophomore Lianna Jordan (Staten Island, New York/St. Joseph by the Sea) each went 1-for-2 at the plate, while junior Katherine Melanson (Danvers, Massachusetts/Bishop Fenwick) and sophomore Cassandra Squeri (New Providence, New Jersey/New Providence) posted 1-for-3 efforts.

Junior Megan Staudle singled and scored a run as the Skyhawks won their third straight game.

Freshman Danielle Brown (Vergennes, Vermont/Vergennes Union) took the loss for Saint Michael's despite turning in a solid performance, as she allowed two runs on six hits with two strikeouts through six innings.

Senior Sarah Murray (Wallingford, Connecticut/Wallingford) went 2-for-3 with a double and drove in the Purple Knights' lone run, while junior Danielle DelGreco (Lexington, Massachusetts/Lexington) singled and scored a run and sophomore Christina Brazeau (Warwick, Rhode Island/Saint Mary Academy) went 1-for-2 with a walk.

Carbone retired the Purple Knights in order in the top of the first, before giving Stonehill a 2-0 lead in the bottom half of the inning with her first home run of the season, a two-run shot to left field.

Saint Michael's left two runners on base in the second and went down in order in the third before breaking through with a run in the fourth. DelGreco led off with a single through the left side of the infield and advanced to second on a sacrifice by junior Judi Barcavage (Cold Spring, New York/Haldane). Murray came up next and cut the Purple Knights' deficit in half with an RBI double to left center, before advancing to third with just one out on an illegal pitch by Carbone. Saint Michael's had an opportunity to tie the contest two batters later, as Murray attempted to tag and score from third on a fly out to left field, but Jordan fired a perfect throw to the plate and Staudle was able to apply the tag to Murray for the third out of the inning.

The Purple Knights also advanced a runner into scoring position in the seventh, as Brazeau singled and moved up to second on a groundout, but Carbone got sophomore Caroline Staples (Stoughton, Massachusetts/Fontbonne Academy) to ground out to shortstop Emily Padilla (Wappingers Falls, New York/Roy C. Ketcham) for the final out of the contest.

Stonehill (9-8, 3-2 NE-10) and Saint Michael's (0-11, 0-1 NE-10) will cap their three-game series tomorrow with a doubleheader as the Skyhawks conclude their five-game weekend homestand. First pitch is set for 11 a.m. at Gartland Field.

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