Softball Falls in First Twin Bill of the Season

Brayden tallied one of two RBI doubles for the Skyhawks

MELBOURNE, Fla. (February 18, 2017) - The Stonehill softball team was tripped up by East Stroudsburg, 5-2, and couldn't hold on as Florida Tech won 14-3 in five innings on Saturday, February 18 in Melbourne, Florida. 

East Stroudsburg 5 - Stonehill 2

Stonehill's (0-2) Lianna Jordan (Staten Island, N.Y./Saint Joseph By the Sea) connected at the plate 3-for-4 times as she recorded a season-first RBI double and scored one run. Erin Brayden (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) went 1-for-3 recording the other RBI double for the Skyhawks, while Cassandra Squeri (New Providence, N.J./New Providence) recorded a season first double. 

East Stroudsburg (1-2) rallied from behind to score five runs to top the Skyhawks, as Madison Vincendese and Danielle Wissinger batted 2-for-3 with one RBI each. 

Stonehill got out to an early lead in the top of the first inning as leadoff hitter Michelle Carbone (Deer Park, N.Y./St. Anthony's) walked and Jordan hit her home off a double to right center. Squeri advanced Jordan to third and Brayden doubled her home for a 2-0 lead for the Skyhawks. Carbone closed out the bottom of the first on the mound with a one-two-three inning. 

Jordan rallied in the top of the third with a single to center field and Squeri followed suit sending Jordan to third. Stonehill came up short as Brayden grounded out to second for the third out leaving two Skyhawks on base. In the bottom of the third, Carbone gave up her first hit of the game, but the Skyhawks got out of the inning with a fielder's choice, a line out and a ground out. 

The Warriors got on the board with one run, 2-1, in the bottom of the fourth, as the Skyhawks weren't able to keep East Stroudsburg off base. 

The Warriors held the Skyhawks once again in the top of the fifth, as Stonehill let up three runs giving East Stroudsburg take a 4-2 lead off of for hits. 

Gina Gatto got the Warriors started once again in the bottom of the sixth with a single down left field and Madison Oren pinch ran for her stealing second and advancing on a ground out to second. Vincendese was able to get the bunt down to send Oren home putting the Warriors on the board once more, 5-2.

Florida Tech 14 - Stonehill 3 - five innings

Stonehill's (0-3) Taylor Lester (East Northport, N.Y./St. Anthony's) batted 2-for-2 tallying one run and one RBI. 

Florida Tech (9-3) saw Karina Suicava bat a perfect 1.000 in the game (3-for-3) with two runs scored, four RBIs, and a double. Makayla Palmer went 1-for-3 with three RBIs and a double. 

At the end of the first inning, neither team got on board as defense was key to the frame. However, the Panthers got their bats warm in the bottom of the second, as three runs were scored off of four hits. 

Brayden connected once again and singled to the right side sending Lester and Carbone home and cutting the deficit to one, 3-2, in the top of the third inning. 

Stonehill's defense held on as the Panthers were unsuccessful in the bottom of the third recording outs on a ground out, a fly out and a runner caught stealing. 

The Skyhawks tied up the game, 3-3,  as Lester sent a single to left center advancing Carbone to second and Carly Rennie (Chelmsford, Mass./Chelmsford) home. 

Stonehill got caught up in the bottom of the fourth as 11 runs were scored by the Panthers off of seven hits. The Skyhawks were unable to string together hits in the top of the fifth leaving Florida Tech with their ninth win of the season. 

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