Mayette records her first shutout victory of the season
Perez knocks in two runs on her 12th-career double, second of the game |
WALTHAM, Mass. (April 18, 2018) – The Stonehill College softball team recorded its first shutout of the season with a 4-0 eight-inning victory over Bentley University, as the Falcons swung the bats in the second game taking a 7-1 win in Northeast-10 Conference divisional play on Wednesday afternoon to split the series 1-1.
Game 1: Stonehill 4 – Bentley 0 (8 innings)
Stonehill saw the first runner on base in the top of the first inning, as Olivia Peterson (Westford, Massachusetts/Westford Academy) walked, and only advanced to second on a fielder's choice before Bentley halted the Skyhawks with deep fly ball to center field. Bentley mimicked Stonehill getting a runner on base early with a walk and a single, but Jennifer Mayette (Scotia, New York/Scotia-Glenville) tallied her first strikeout and a grounder that turned into a double play in the back half of the inning.
The Skyhawks bats were taken out of their hands in the third inning, as Lauren Calabrese struck out three-straight batters, and Mayette retired two in the bottom of the inning leaving two runners on base for the Falcons.
In the top of the fourth, with two outs Sophie Perez (Bridgewater, Massachusetts/Bridgewater-Raynham) connected for the first double of the game, but Calabrese wrapped up the frame with a ground out leaving the Skyhawks stranded. Bentley tallied two hits in the bottom of the fourth as Jordan Ballantyne and Lindsey Allen singled, but the Falcons didn't make it past second base as Lea Thompson grounded out for the final out of the inning.
The fifth through the seventh innings only saw two hits, as the Skyhawks recorded both, including Erin Brayden (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) and Michelle Theilgard (North Branford, Connecticut/Mercy) singling.
In the top of the eighth, Stonehill's Maille Bennett (Hopkinton, Massachusetts/Hopkinton) singled with one out and got runners on first and second with Hannah Ricker's (Scarborough, Maine/Scarborough) first walk of the game. Bentley registered the second out of the inning, but Caroline Casey (East Moriches, New York/Center Moriches) walked to get the bases loaded for the first time in the game. After a pitching change, Theilgard connected for her second hit of the game bringing in two runs, 2-0. Perez then followed for her second double of the game and 12th career double adding two more runs for a 4-0 lead. Mayette held the Falcons to only one hit in the bottom of the inning, recording her fifth strikeout of the game and sixth victory of the year on the mound.
Game 2: Stonehill 1 – Bentley 7
Bentley wasted no time in the bottom of the first after their scoreless first game, as Catie Noons doubled and Ballentyne doubled to drive in the first run of the day for an early 1-0 advantage.
Theilgard tallied her eighth-straight game with a hit as she launched her seventh double of the season to center field, but the Skyhawks left her on base with back-to-back groundouts in the top of the second.
Bentley broke open the game in the bottom of the frame with four runs off five hits. Noa Rivera led off with a triple to left field and Julie Slavin roped a single to center field bringing in Rivera from third, 2-0. After a double play, the Falcons continued to connect with the ball, as Allen doubled, Stacey Korotsky and Ballantyne singled to drive in three more runs for a five-run lead, 5-0.
Theilgard went 4-for-7 at the plate with a double, run scored, and two RBI |
The Falcons registered another run in the bottom of the third with a homerun from Rivera, 6-0, as Ashley Keegan went three-straight batters in the top of the third to keep the lead. Stonehill cut the deficit to five, 6-1, as Julia Hartman (Salisbury, Massachusetts/Triton Regional) doubled to left field to kick off the inning and with one out Carly Rennie (Chelmsford, Massachusetts/Clemsford) singled bringing home Hartman. Ricker also singled, advancing Rennie to third, but Keegan fended off the offensive rally with a groundout to end the inning.
In the back half of the fifth inning, Slavin also lifted the ball over the fence for a solo homerun, getting the run back for a six-run lead, 7-1. Stonehill was the only team to tally a hit in the final two innings with Casey singling to left field in the leadoff spot in the top of the sixth, while the Falcons totaled 10 hits to the Skyhawks six all game.
Stonehill's (8-21, 7-12 NE10) doubleheader against Merrimack that was reschedule from a previous date for tomorrow, Thursday, April 19 has been postponed to Monday, April 23 at 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. The Skyhawks will conclude its three-game series against Franklin Pierce with a single game on Friday, April 20 in Rindge, New Hampshire with a 2:00 p.m. start.
With Stonehill's regular season wrapping up in the coming week, the Skyhawks will be hosting a National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Strikeout For Cancer game on Friday, April 27 against Saint Anselm College at 3:00 p.m. on Fr. Gartland Field. The Skyhawks will be collecting donations at the field on gameday and will continue to collect funds on their GoFundMe page. All proceeds will go directly to the Dana-Farber Cancer Foundation. At the game, the Skyhawks will be honoring all those who have battled or are currently battling all types of cancer. Bracelets and t-shirts will be on site at the game for purchase.
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