Theilgard tallies third homerun of the season
Hartman goes 2-for-7 with one run scored and three RBI in the two games with the game-winning hit in game one and a homerun in game two (PHOTO BY: Jan Volk/SportsPix) |
EASTON, Massachusetts (April 17, 2019) – The Stonehill College softball team split the doubleheader on Wednesday, April 17 against Northeast-10 Conference foe Merrimack College on Fr. Gartland Field with scores of 4-3 in a walk off win and then fell 3-4 in game two.
With the split, Stonehill is now 13-19 overall and 9-11 in NE10 play, while Merrimack is now to 18-21 overall and 9-11 in Conference play.
Game 1: Stonehill 4 – Merrimack 3
The Warriors led off the game with a walk by Tiffany Mangiameli and she was quickly moved over to third after stealing second and a sacrifice bunt. With one out, Abigail Amato singled up the middle to easily score Mangiameli for a 1-0 advantage.
Merrimack retired seven-straight batters before the Skyhawks were able to string together hits. In the bottom of the third, Stonehill got the bases loaded with one out as Genna Hartman drove the ball in between the five-six hole scoring Taylor Whaley to tie the game, 1-1. Julia Hartman followed with a deep fly ball to left field for a sacrifice fly as Maille Bennett scored from third for their first lead of the day, 2-1.
With two outs in the top of the fifth, Amato launched a two-run blast over the center field fence to take back the lead, 3-2 after Mangiameli reached on a bunt single. Stonehill threatened in the bottom of the frame with two outs and back-to-back hits but the Warriors retired the side with a ground out leaving runners on second and third.
In the bottom of the seventh with two outs and a runner on first, Michelle Theilgard drove the ball to center field for runners on first and second. Genna Hartman followed with her own single scoring Gianna Azzato for the tying run, 3-3. The Skyhawks' Julia Hartman followed with her own RBI single to left field for the game-winning hit, the Skyhawks second walk-off of the season, 4-3.
Game 2: Stonehill 3 – Merrimack 4
Merrimack once again started the game with a tally on the board, as Mangiameli scored first for the second time of the day as Amato's ground out moved her over to third and then she scored on a throwing error for a 1-0 advantage.
The Warriors looked to score again in the top of the second but Julia Perrone got out of the inning with a ground out stranding two runners on. In the bottom of the second, with Carly Rennie on second from her double, Caroline Casey replaced her on second with her own double to tie the game, 1-1.
Rayner struck out eight in the 9.2 innings pitched (PHOTO BY: Jan Volk/SportsPix) |
Stonehill got on top of Merrimack and saw two solo homeruns from Theilgard and Julia Hartman to give the Skyhawks a two-run lead, 3-1, in the bottom of the third. It was the third long ball for Theilgard of the season and eighth of her career, while Hartman tallied her second homerun of the season and sixth of her career.
Merrimack fought back with a two-run homerun of their own from Amato, as she lifted it over the left field fence with Hannah Johnson on base to tie the game once again, 3-3. Stonehill left two on in the bottom of the fifth and the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth. Merrimack then edged the Skyhawks in the top of the seventh on a fielder's choice as Mangiameli forced Stonehill to throw home for the close play at the plate to once again take the lead, 4-3.
Stonehill will travel to Hooksett, New Hampshire for a doubleheader tomorrow, Thursday, April 18 against NE10 Conference foe No. 13 Southern New Hampshire with a first pitch slated for 3:00 p.m. On Friday, April 26 Stonehill will host Franklin Pierce University for a doubleheader for their Strikeout Cancer Game. If you would like to donate click here.
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