Freshman Alison Sumski collected three RBI on the day, including the game-winning RBI in Stonehill's game one victory (PHOTO BY Richard Orr) |
EASTON, Mass. (April 7, 2013) – The Stonehill College Softball team took game one, 7-6 and dropped game 2, 7-5 in a double-header with the American International College Yellow Jackets Sunday afternoon at Fr. William Gartland Field in Easton, Mass.
Stonehill 7, AIC 6
Sumski's two-RBI helps Stonehill capture game one
Freshman Alison Sumski (Amherst, N.H./Souhegan) reached base four times, going 2-for-3 with two singles, a walk, two RBI, and one run scored to lead the way for Stonehill. Senior Nicole Eisenmann (East Bridgewater, Mass./East Bridgewater) and freshman Megan Ruonavaara (Rocky Hill, Conn./Rocky Hill) each registered a home run to help pace the Skyhawks offense in game one.
Junior Haley Marchand (Newington, Conn./Newington) and Senior Stephanie Belanger (South Windsor, Conn./South Windsor) each hit home runs for the Yellow Jackets to lead the way for them in game one. Marchand went two-for-four with a single a homer and three RBI, while Belanger had thw hits and one RBI.
Ruonavaara claimed the victory for Stonehill in the first game. The freshman pitched a complete game, giving up six runs (four earned) on nine hits and three walks. Ruonavaara collected four strikeouts on the afternoon.
Junior Kelsey Malloy (Clarksburg, Mass./Drury) took the loss for American International. Malloy pitched four innings of relief, giving up three runs (two earned) on six hits and three walks, while striking out three. Malloy relieved Erin Glikes (Troy, N.Y./Lansingburgh) who pitched the first two innings and gave up four runs (three earned) on five hits.
The Skyhawks got the scoring started quickly, claiming four runs in the bottom of the first. With Kelsey Wilcox (Canterbury, Conn./Griswold) and Sumski on first and second with no outs, Eisenmann launched her seventh home run of the season, and 20th of her career to right center field to give the Skyhawks a 3-0 lead. Two batters later, Ruonavaara hit a solo shot to right center field to give Stonehill a four-run advantage.
The Yellow Jackets cut the lead in half, with two runs in the third. Following a leadoff double by Marlee Haigh (Kingston, Mass./Silver lake Regional), Marchand unloaded on a pitch to left center field for her second home run of the year, making it a 4-2 game.
After AIC tied the game in the top of the fourth, the Skyhawks regained the lead thanks to Sumski. With Jocelynne Morrell (West Haven, Conn./West Haven) on third after a two singles and a sacrifice bunt, Sumski drove her home with an RBI single through the right side.
The Yellow Jackets responded again in the top of the fifth to tie the game once again. Belanger crushed a home run to left field to knot the score at five.
Freshman Nicole Mellor recorded her second collegiate hit and her first career home run for Stonehill in game two (PHOTO BY Richard Orr) |
Stonehill fought back to take the lead for good in the fifth. With the score 6-5 after Megan Staudle (New Windsor, N.Y./Cornwall Central) scored on a wild pitch, Sumski once again stepped to the plate, this time with the bases loaded. Sumski forced a walk and earned the RBI to give Stonehill a 7-5 edge.
AIC tried to comeback in the seventh, but Ruonavaara held the Yellow Jackets at bay, holding them to just one run in the final inning to seal the victory.
American International 7, Stonehill 5
Four home runs not enough for Stonehill, as AIC takes game two
Belanger registered three hits and two RBI in game two to once again lead the way for the Yellow Jackets. Freshman Jorrdin Miller (Garfield, N.J./Immaculate Conception) and Marchand also recorded multi-hit games for AIC, who tallied 15 hits in game two.
Morrell piloted the Skyhawk offense in game two, going 2-for-3 with two home runs and three RBI. Freshman Nicole Mellor (Hopkinton, Mass./Hopkinton) and Sumski also notched home runs for Stonehill in the loss.
Senior pitcher Elizabeth Habib (Methuen, Mass./Central Catholic) struck out eleven batters to earn the victory for AIC in game two. Habib went 6.2 innings, giving up five earned runs on seven hits and one walk. Malloy came in with two outs in the seventh to close out the victory. Malloy struck out the only batter she faced to earn the save.
Junior Jocelynne Morrell launched two home runs in Stonehill's game two loss |
Freshman Lauren Esposito (Middlefield, Conn./Coginchaug) was saddled with the loss for Stonehill. Esposito pitched 3.2 innings, giving up five runs (four earned) on 11 hits, while striking out two. Eisenmann pitched 3.1 innings of relief, holding the Yellow Jackets to two runs (one earned) on four hits.
AIC got on the board first, scoring one run in the top of the first. Marchand opened the game with a single through the left side and scored on a Belanger single three batters later to make it 1-0.
The Yellow Jackets added to their lead in the top of the second. Miller collected her first hit of the game when she doubled to left field. She scored when Desiree Martinez (Blackwood, N.J./Tilton) singled to right field.
Stonehill responded with one run in the bottom of the second to cut the lead in half. With two outs in the inning, Morrell launched her first home run of the game, and the season, a shot down the left field line.
The Skyhawks tied the score with one run in the bottom of the third. Sumski registered her third RBI of the day, a solo home run to center field, to tie the game at four.
AIC regained the lead with three runs in the top of the fourth. With runners on second and third, Marchand hit an RBI-groundout to the second baseman to drive in the team's third run. After Haigh scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-2, Belanger doubled home another run to give the Yellow Jackets a three-run cushion.
The Yellow Jackets made it 7-2 on a home run by Miller in the fifth and a run scored on an error in the seventh.
Stonehill launched a comeback bid in the bottom of the seventh, looking to tie the score. With a runner on first, Morrell clocked her second home run of the game to make it 7-4. Two batters later, Mellor recorded her second collegiate hit and her first collegiate home run to make it 7-5. Malloy then came in and sat down the final batter to close out the Skyhawks.
Stonehill (18-15, 10-4 NE-10) returns to action Wednesday afternoon at 3:00 pm for a divisional double-header with UMass Lowell. Next up for the Yellow Jackets (8-16, 5-7 NE-10) is a Wednesday afternoon double-header with Le Moyne College.
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