Freshman Megan Staudle launched a walk-off grand slam for Stonehill in game one (PHOTO BY Richard Orr) |
EASTON, Mass. (April 4, 2013) – The Stonehill College softball team collected a pair of wins against the Assumption College Greyhounds in a Northeast-10 Conference double-header Saturday afternoon at Fr. William Gartland Field in Easton, Mass.
Stonehill 5, Assumption 1
Staudle hits walk-off grand slam as Stonehill takes game one.
Freshman outfielder Megan Staudle (New Windsor, N.Y./Cornwall Central) went 3-for-4 with two singles and a grand slam to lead the way for Stonehill in game one. Senior captain Kelsey Wilcox (Canterbury, Conn./Griswold) also posted an RBI for the Skyhawks.
Freshman Megan Ruonavaara (Rocky Hill, Conn./Rocky Hill) earned her eighth win in her last eight decisions for Stonehill. Ruonavaara pitched a complete game, giving up just a single run on seven hits and no walks. The freshman tied a career-high with seven strikeouts on the afternoon.
Senior Rachel Hedge (Manchester, N.H./Manchester Memorial) was tagged with the loss for the Greyhounds. The senior pitched 5.1 innings of relief and gave up five earned runs on eight hits and five walks. Hedge relieved Jenn Lattal (Windsor, Conn./Windsor) who went three innings before being pulled. Lattal held Stonehill scoreless on two hits and one walk, while striking out five.
The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the fifth inning. With runners on first and second, Wilcox hit an RBI-single to drive in the first run of the game.
The Greyhounds responded in the top of the sixth to tie the score. Jess Dipilato (Worcester, Mass./Holy Name) opened the inning with a double, before Melissa Jalbert (Gardner, Mass./Gardner) tied the score with an RBI-double.
The pitchers kept the teams in check for the seventh and eighth innings before the Skyhawks ended it in the ninth. Staudle stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and ended the game with a walk-off grand slam.
Stonehill 11, Assumption 7
Eisenmann's sixth inning grand slam powers Stonehill to game two win.
Senior Nicole Eisenmann (East Bridgewater, Mass./East Bridgewater) went 2-for-4 with a single and a grand slam to pace the Skyhawk offense in game two. Junior Lindsay McKillop (East Meadow, N.Y./East Meadow) had a home run of her own for Stonehill in the nightcap.
Senior Nicole Eisenmann hit a go-ahead grand slam for Stonehill in game two |
Senior Lauren Medeiros (Seekonk, Mass./Seekonk) and freshman Kayli Moniz (Fairhaven, Mass./Fairhaven) piloted the Greyhound offense in game two. Medeiros lined a home run in the sixth inning and Moniz blasted a solo shot of her own in the fourth.
Eisenmann was the pitcher of record for Stonehill in the second game. The senior pitched four innings of relief, giving up two earned runs on eight hits and one strikeout in the outing. Lauren Esposito (Middlefied, Conn./Coginchaug) started for Stonehill, going three innings and giving up five runs (two earned) on seven hits, while striking out six.
Freshman Jess Underwood (Hudson, N.H./Alvirne) took the game two loss for Assumption. Underwood went the distance, giving up 11 runs (seven earned) on 14 hits and three walks.
After the Greyhounds scored the game's first run in the opening frame, Stonehill bounced back to take a lead in the bottom of the first. With a runner on first, Lindsay McKillop homered to give Stonehill its first lead of the game, 2-1. Stonehill added another run in the second inning to gain a two-run cushion.
The Greyhounds fought back in the third to regain the lead, 4-3. With runners on second and third, Tanya Robidoux (Hooksett, N.H./Manchester Central) roped a single to center field to drive in a run. Four batters later, with the score knotted at three, Christina Caira (Newton, Mass./Newton North) hit an RBI-single to recapture the lead for the Greyhounds.
Moniz added to the lead for Assumption in the fourth inning. The freshman and reigning NE-10 Player/Rookie of the Week hit her second home run of the season to make it 5-3 Greyhounds.
Stonehill chipped away at the lead in the bottom of the fourth. After Courtney Marchand (Raymond, N.H./Timberlane) doubled and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt, Alison Sumski (Amherst, N.H./Souhegan) hit an RBI-single to drive in Marchand and cut the Greyhound lead to one.
After Medeiros made it 6-4 in the top of the sixth with a solo home run, the Skyhawks exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the frame to take the lead for good. Stonehill loaded the bases with one out for Eisenmann who launched a grand slam to make it 8-6. Stonehill would add runs on doubles by Jocelynne Morrell (West Haven, Conn./West Haven) and Marchand to make it 11-6.
Eisenmann held the Greyhounds at bay, giving up just one more run to close the door for a Stonehill victory. With the sweep, the Skyhawks have now won seven in a row, and nine of their last 11 games.
The Skyhawks (17-14, 9-3 NE-10) return to action Sunday at 12:30 pm for a conference double-header with NE-10 foe American International. Next up for Assumption (8-16, 5-7 NE-10) is a pair of games with NE-10 nemesis Bentley at 12:00 pm Sunday afternoon.
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