Junior Lindsay McKillop launched a three-run home run in the third inning |
McKillop's three-run shot helps Skyhawks take down the Riverhawks
EASTON, Mass. (April 2, 2013) – The Stonehill College softball team topped the UMass Lowell River Hawks 5-3 in a NE-10 divisional matchup Tuesday afternoon at Fr. William Gartland C.S.C Field in Easton, Mass.
Junior Lindsay McKillop (East Meadow, N.Y./East Meadow) led the way for Stonehill, going 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs. Freshman Megan Ruonavaara (Rocky Hill, Conn./Rocky Hill) also earned an RBI for Stonehill on the afternoon.
Pacing the River Hawk offense was sophomore Abby Jamieson (Billerica, Mass./Austin Prep) who went 2-for-3 with two singles and an RBI. Junior Ali Ferraro (Kingston, N.Y./Kingston) and sophomore Melissa King (Stamford, Conn./Stamford) also recorded RBIs for Lowell on the afternoon.
Ruonavaara was the pitcher of record for Stonehill, picking up her eighth win of the season and her sixth win in as many decisions. The freshman yielded three earned runs on eight hits and two walks, while striking out three.
Freshman Marielle Handley (Durham, Conn./Coginchaug Regional) was saddled with the loss for Lowell. Handley went 3.1 innings and gave up five earned runs on four hits and three walks. Sophomore Courtney Lanfranchi (Burlington, Mass./Burlington) relieved Handley and pitched 2.2 innings of scoreless softball for the River Hawks.
Freshman Megan Ruonavaara went 1-for-2 with an RBI-double and earned the victory on the mound for Stonehill |
Lowell jumped out to the early lead with one run in the first. Krista MacKenzie (Ipswich, Mass./Ipswich) opened the game with a single through the right side. After advancing to third after two stolen bases, MacKenzie was driven home when Jamieson hit an RBI single to left.
The Skyhawks responded in the bottom of the first with two runs to take the lead. After Alison Sumski (Amherst, N.H./Souhegan) doubled to right center and Nicole Eisenmann (East Bridgewater, Mass./East Bridgewater) walked, Ruonavaara knocked in the first run with an RBI-double. Eisenmann would later score on a wild pitch, giving the Skyhawks a 2-0 lead.
The Skyhawks added to its lead in the third inning, making it 5-1. After Eisenmann and Ruonavaara both earned two-out walks, McKillop stepped to the plate and launched her fourth home run of the season to give the Skyhawks a four-run cushion.
The River Hawks got two runs back in the sixth inning. With runners on first and third, Ferraro hit an RBI-single to left center field to score Lowell's second run of the game. Two batters later, King hit a sacrifice fly to right field, plating Jamieson to make it 5-3.
Ruonavaara closed the door after that, getting the final out of the sixth before pitching a 1-2-3 ninth inning to seal the victory for Stonehill.
Next up for Stonehill (13-14, 4-1 NE-10 NE) is a date with Bentley University for a double-header Thursday afternoon beginning at 3:00 pm. The River Hawks (10-15, 4-2 NE-10 NE) return to action Saturday afternoon when they host the Southern Connecticut State University Owls for a double-header at 12:00 pm.
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