Senior Sarah Ropiak tossed a complete game while allowing two runs in game two today.

Skyhawks fall to Dolphins by scores of 5-4 and 2-1

SYRACUSE, N.Y.  (April 14, 2016) – The Stonehill College softball team dropped a pair of Northeast-10 Conference games against LeMoyne College today at Thomas J. Niland Athletic Complex. The Skyhawks dropped the first game 5-4 after placing the tying run on third base with one out in the top of the seventh inning, and surrendered the game winning run in the bottom of the seventh in game two, losing 2-1.

Senior Alison Sumski (Amherst, New Hampshire/Souhegan) led the Skyhawks at the plate continuing her hot hitting, going 3-for-5 with three RBI. Classmate Lauren Esposito (Middlefield, Connecticut/Coginchaug) went 4-for-7 with a run, while Megan Staudle (New Windsor, New York/Cornwall Central) also contributed four hits, finishing 4-for-8 with two runs.

Stonehill received two complete games out of its pitchers, as seniors Sarah Ropiak (Acton, Massachusetts/Acton-Boxborough) and Megan Ruonavaara (Rocky Hill, Connecticut/Rocky Hill) both went the distance. Ruonavaara pitched the first game, tossing six innings while surrendering five runs on nine hits and four walks. Ropiak was in the circle the second game, throwing six innings and allowing two runs to go with six strikeouts.

For LeMoyne, junior Courtney Case (Pittsford, New York/Pittsford Mendon) went 4-for-7 with two runs and a RBI, while classmate Kelly Mascari (Syracuse, New York/Westhill) finished 2-for-4 with three walks and two RBI. Senior Allison Reynolds (Penfield, New York/Penfield) went 3-for-6 and classmate Kirsten Trotta (Wilmington, Delaware/Alexis I. Dupont) finished 2-for-5 with two RBI and a run.

LeMoyne 5, Stonehill 4

Stonehill got the ball rolling in the top of the third, when the Skyhawks plated the first two runs of the game. Sumski delivered an RBI single down the left field line to score Staudle and Ruonavaara drew a bases loaded walk to force in junior Lianna Jordan (Staten Island, New York/St. Joseph By the Sea) from third base.

LeMoyne responded in the bottom half of the inning, hitting five singles to score four runs and take the lead. Trotta recorded a bases loaded single to score a run and reload the bases and Mascari delivered a single up the middle to plate two baserunners. Junior Sabrina Riley (Deer Park, New York/Deer Park) then hit an RBI single to give the Dolphins a two run advantage.

LeMoyne gave themselves some cushion in the bottom of the fourth as Trotta singled down the right field line to record an RBI and give the Dolphins a 5-2 advantage.

Stonehill got a run back in the fifth as Staudle started the inning with a single to right center field and Jordan followed up with a single through the left side of the infield. Sumski then stepped to the plate and delivered an RBI single to score Staudle and cut into the LeMoyne lead.

The Skyhawks would rally further in the seventh inning as junior Jacklyn Oleksak (Massapequa, New York/Plainedge) hit a one out RBI single to right field to score classmate Michelle Carbone (Rocky Hill, Connecticut/Rocky Hill) from third and move Sumski over to third base. With one out the Skyhawks were unable to bring Sumski home as the Dolphins claimed game one.

Senior Alison Sumski went 3-for-5 with three RBI in today's losses.

LeMoyne 2, Stonehill 1

LeMoyne wasted no time getting on the board in game two, as the Dolphins scored the game's first run in the first inning, using a sacrifice fly by Riley to score Case from third.

Stonehill threatened to score in the fifth inning when Sumski singled up the middle and Oleksak singled to center field to move Sumski over to third base with just one out. LeMoyne's sophomore pitcher Alexis Eastman (Endicott, New York/Union-Endicott) was able to work out of the jam however, escaping the inning with no damage.

Stonehill broke through in the top of the sixth as Esposito and Stuadle singled consecutively and Jordan reached base on a throwing error to load the bases with no outs. Once again Eastman was able to work out of the jam, allowing just one run on a sacrifice fly by Sumski.

With the score tied 1-1, LeMoyne walked off in the bottom of the seventh. The Dolphins loaded the bases with no outs and Case delivered an RBI single up the middle to help LeMoyne complete the sweep on the day.

Stonehill (17-14, 13-6 NE-10) is back in action on Saturday as the Skyhawks host Southern New Hampshire University for a weekend series and their Purple & White game at noon. LeMoyne (21-12, 9-6 NE-10) returns to action Saturday as well, when the Dolphins host Southern Connecticut State University for a weekend series starting at noon.

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