Hartman launched a three-run homerun to keep the Skyhawks ahead during game two
Ricker went 3-for-6 in the doubleheader with two runs scored and one RBI |
EASTON, Mass. (April 8, 2018) – The Stonehill College softball split with Le Moyne College in Northeast-10 Conference cross-divisional play on Sunday with scores of 5-8 and 5-3.
Game 1: Stonehill 5 – Le Moyne 8
With one out, Le Moyne saw two get on base with walks and Peyton Bellrose launched a ball over the left field fence for a three-run homerun and a three-run lead, 3-0. With another walk and a wild pitch, Maddy DeRita singled down the left field line to drive in Tess Andrews from second for a four-run advantage, 4-0.
Stonehill was able to get two runners on base with back-to-back singles in the bottom of the first, but the Dolphins' Alexis Eastman held the Skyhawks from scoring with two strikeouts and a flyout to retire the side. In the top of the second, Le Moyne's Kelsey Johnson led off with a triple to right center and Ally Nicolosi drove her in for a five-run lead, 5-0.
Both sides went down three-straight in the third inning, but Le Moyne continued swinging and in the top of the fourth the Dolphins added two runs off two hits and two errors for a 7-0 lead. Le Moyne added an eighth run in the top of the fifth from a single from Mia Pollino to left field that scored Taylor Artley from third, 8-0.
Stonehill was able to get on board in the bottom of the fifth to extend the game. The Skyhawks had its best inning of the game tallying four hits and three runs to cut the deficit to five, 8-3. Julia Hartman (Salisbury, Massachusetts/Triton Regional) led off with a single and Katherine Rayner (Milton, Vermont/Milton) followed with a single of her own. The runners moved over and with two outs Hannah Ricker (Scarborough, Maine/Scarborough) singled to drive in one run and Caroline Casey (East Moriches, New York/Center Moriches) tallied her double of the season to cut the lead to five, 8-3.
Rayner fended off the Dolphins by keeping them off the bases in the top of the sixth and seventh, and Stonehill continued putting pressure on Le Moyne with two hits and two more runs, 8-5, but Eastman left the bases loaded as she struck out the final batter of the game.
Game 2: Stonehill 5 – Le Moyne 3
Le Moyne once again started the game with an early 2-0 lead, as the Dolphins notched four-straight singles to score the two runs. Senior pitcher Jennifer Mayette (Scotia, New York/Scotia-Glenville) was able to find the groove as she struck out one and got two batters to ground out to retire the side.
Mayette matched her career-best eight strikeouts in her fourth win of the season |
Stonehill was able to quickly respond to cut the deficit in half, 2-1. With one out Casey singled to right field and Carly Rennie (Chelmsford, Massachusetts/Chelmsford) connected for her fourth double of the season, sixth of her career, but Casey was tagged out at third. Michelle Theilgard (North Branford, Connecticut/Mercy) tallied her fifth double of the year to right field to easily score Rennie from second. Le Moyne wrapped up the inning with a groundout to keep one runner on base for the Skyhawks.
After two scoreless innings for both teams, Stonehill tied up the game in the bottom of the fourth with two outs. Erin Brayden (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) ripped the ball down the left field line for a double, her first of the season and 10th of her career. Gianna Azzato (East Meadow, New York/East Meadow) pinch ran for Brayden and she advanced on a passed ball and then scored from third on an fielding error, 2-2.
Mayette shut down the Dolphins in the top of the fifth inning, and with two outs, Theilgard and Sophie Perez (Bridgewater, Massachusetts/Bridgewater-Raynham) singled to get on first and second for Hartman in the bottom of the frame. On the third pitch of the at bat, Hartman launched her second homerun of the season and third of her career over the left field fence, extending the Skyhawks lead to three, 5-2.
Le Moyne quickly ran into two outs in the top of the sixth, but Kailey LaForce connected for a hard line drive triple to right field and was able to score on a throwing error to cut the deficit to two, 5-3. Mayette walked the next batter, but recovered and struck out Lauren Zazzaro to end the inning.
Stonehill saw a walk in the bottom of the sixth inning, but the Dolphins Lauren Nichols was strong in the circle as she threw 10 pitches for a strikeout, ground out, and a fly out. Mayette was also able to hold back the Dolphins in the top of the seventh, as she struck out her eighth batter of the game but stranded a runner on second taking her fourth win of the season.
Stonehill (5-16, 4-7 NE10) will host Merrimack College on Tuesday, April 10 on Fr. Gartland Field for a conference divisional doubleheader with a start time of 3:00 p.m.
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