EASTON, Mass. (March 22, 2024) – The Stonehill College softball team dropped a pair of Northeast Conference games against Saint Francis in two low-scoring battles at Fr. Gartland Field Friday afternoon.
GAME 1 - Saint Francis 3 (18-11, 5-0 NEC), Stonehill 0 (4-15, 1-4 NEC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Red Flash scored in the top of the third after the first batter of the inning singled to right and stole second, setting up Hannah Bendle who sent an RBI single up the middle to give Saint Francis a 1-0 lead.
On an attempted double steal from the Red Flash, the throw down to third base trickled into the outfield but the left fielder, freshman Piper Hofmann (Windermere, Fla.), saved a run by throwing the runner out at the plate.
With a runner on third and one out in the third, Stonehill turned an untraditional double play, getting the force out before junior Paige Wodarski (Danvers, Mass.) turned and threw out another Red Flash runner going for home plate.
After an exciting third inning, Saint Francis added another run in the fourth on a two-out RBI single as Stonehill was held scoreless. Saint Francis tallied one more insurance run in the seventh while the Skyhawks finished the game with just three base runners reaching on two walks and one hit, falling in game one, 3-0.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Stonehill turned two double plays in the game, the most in a game this season for the Skyhawks.
- The Red Flash starter, Grace Vesco, pitched 6.1 innings giving up just one hit with eight strikeouts before Allie Braly notched the final two outs of the game to record her second save of the season.
- Freshman Alexa Hospodar (Old Bethpage, N.Y.) started her fifth game of the season, throwing a complete game for the second time this year.
GAME 2 - Saint Francis 1 (19-11, 6-0 NEC), Stonehill 0 (4-16, 1-5 NEC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Junior Skylar Brandemarte (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) gave up two hits but never allowed a Red Flash runner to get in scoring position through the first three innings of the game, allowing the first run of the game when Olivia Ulam sent a line drive homerun over the center field wall putting Saint Francis ahead, 1-0.
Stonehill had runners in scoring position in the first and second innings but failed to capitalize on the opportunities. The Skyhawks built some momentum in the bottom of the fourth after a two-out double from junior Alyssa Grossi (Wakefield, Mass.) put runners on second and third for Stonehill. The Red Flash forced a groundout to get out of the jam and had their own scoring chance in the sixth with runners on second and third but Brandemarte continued her strong outing to close out the inning unscathed.
Stonehill rallied to have a base runner on second base in the sixth and seventh innings but never plated the tying run as the low-scoring matchup ended with the Red Flash winning 1-0.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Olivia Ulam went 3-3 with a home run and a double while starter Rachel Marsden pitched a complete game shutout with five strikeouts for Saint Francis.
- Grossi reached base twice, going 1-2 with a double and a walk.
- Freshman Harper Sullivan (Glendale, Ariz.) drew a walk in her lone at-bat to improve her team-best on-base percentage to .417.
- Brandemarte threw her fourth complete game of the season and this was her second time this year going the full seven innings while allowing one run or less.
UP NEXT
Stonehill Softball had to postpone its upcoming matchup with Rhode Island that was scheduled for Tuesday, March 26 and the makeup date is still to be determined. Next up for the Skyhawks is a midweek doubleheader at Holy Cross on Wednesday, March 27 starting at 2 p.m.
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