Stonehill Remains Unbeaten At Home With Two Wins Over Assumption


Junior Sarah Ropiak posted a three-hit shutout in Stonehill's game one win over Assumption this afternoon.

Juniors Sarah Ropiak and Megan Ruonavaara each turn in complete game shutouts

EASTON, Mass. (April 21, 2015) – Juniors Sarah Ropiak (Acton, Massachusetts/Acton-Boxborough) and Megan Ruonavaara (Rocky Hill, Connecticut/Rocky Hill) each turned in complete game shutout efforts in the pitching circle as the Stonehill College softball team posted a pair of victories over Assumption College this afternoon at Gartland Field. Stonehill defeated Assumption 3-0 in the opener, a Northeast-10 Conference Northeast Division contest, before earning a 1-0 non-conference victory in game two.  

Ropiak and Ruonavaara held Assumption, which leads the NE-10 in runs scored and ranks second in hits, third in batting average and third in slugging percentage, to just eight hits over the two games as the Skyhawks improved to 7-0 at Gartland Field this spring.

Junior catcher Megan Staudle (New Windsor, New York/Cornwall Central) led Stonehill at the plate, going 3-for-6 with a solo home run, her third of the season. Ruonavaara went 2-for-5 and also belted a solo homer, while sophomore Michelle Carbone (Deer Park, New York/St. Anthony's) went 2-for-6 with a run and classmate Cassandra Squeri (New Providence, New Jersey/New Providence) added a pair of singles.

Freshman Kendal Roy (Grafton, Massachusetts/Grafton) and junior Jess Underwood (Hudson, New Hampshire/Alvirne) each took losses for the Greyhounds despite posting solid efforts in the circle. Roy went the distance in the opener and gave up three runs (two earned) on seven hits, while Underwood held the Skyhawks to one run on five hits through four innings in game two.

Senior Jess DiPilato (Worcester, Massachusetts/Holy Name) went 2-for-5 and picked up Assumption's lone extra base hit this afternoon, a double, while sophomore Ashley Abad (Bedford, New Hampshire/Bedford) also posted a 2-for-5 effort and four other Greyhounds tallied a single.

Stonehill 3, Assumption 0

Ropiak got the start in the opener and posted her fifth shutout of the season, improving to 9-6 with the victory. The junior held Assumption to three hits, while striking out two batters and walking one.

Staudle put the Skyhawks ahead early with a home run in the bottom of the first inning, and Ropiak cruised through the first four frames, retiring ten consecutive batters before sophomore Ashley Clark (Pawtucket, Rhode Island/Tolman) drew a walk with one out in the fourth.

Ruonavaara doubled Stonehill's lead with a solo homer in the bottom of the fourth, while Ropiak remained in control, carrying a no-hitter into the top of the sixth. Junior Kayli Moniz (Fairhaven, Massachusetts/Fairhaven) broke up the no-hit bid with a two-out single in the sixth, but Ropiak got Clark to ground out to end the inning.

Stonehill took a 3-0 lead with another run in the bottom of the sixth, as junior Alison Sumski (Amherst, New Hampshire/Souhegan) singled to left field and Carbone came around to score with the help of an Assumption error.


Junior Megan Staudle went 3-for-6 at the plate today and hit her third home run of the season.

The Greyhounds advanced a pair of runners into scoring position in the bottom of the seventh following singles by DiPilato and Abad, but senior Andrea Crowley (Norfolk, Massachusetts/Ursuline Academy) grounded out as Stonehill secured the crucial divisional victory.

Stonehill 1, Assumption 0

Ruonavaara followed up Ropiak's impressive effort with another strong performance, allowing just five hits while striking out two and walking one to earn her fifth win of the season.

Assumption threatened in the first inning, loading the bases on singles by Clark and Abad and a walk by DiPilato, but Ruonavaara got out of the jam with a groundout.

After three scoreless frames, Stonehill broke the scoreless tie with a run in the fourth. Squeri led off with an infield single, before advancing to second on a sacrifice. Freshman Olivia Peterson (Westford, Massachusetts/Westford Academy) came on to pinch run for Squeri and advanced to third on a groundout before coming in to score on an RBI single by sophomore Taylor Lester (East Northport, New York/St. Anthony's). Peterson would later record her first collegiate hit with a single in the sixth.

Ruonavaara retired the side in order in the fifth and limited Assumption to singles in the sixth and seventh, as the Skyhawks posted their second straight shutout and eighth of the season.

Stonehill (16-12, 9-6 NE-10) will be right back in action tomorrow afternoon with a single game at Saint Anselm College, before returning home for its final five contests of the regular season. Assumption (18-15, 10-9 NE-10) is off until Friday, when the Greyhounds are scheduled to host Saint Michael's College for a divisional matchup in Worcester.  

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