Senior Lindsay McKillop improved her batting average to a team-best .365 this season after going 3-for-6 with a walk and one RBI in two wins over Bentley today.

Skyhawks outscore Falcons 11-5 in doubleheader sweep

WALTHAM, Mass. (April 3, 2014) – Stonehill College used a balanced offensive effort and strong pitching to win both ends of today's doubleheader over Bentley University in Northeast-10 Conference Northeast Division softball action at DeFelice Field.

Freshman Michelle Carbone (Deer Park, N.Y./St. Anthony's) led the Skyhawks both at the plate and in the circle, as she went 3-for-7 with a double, a triple, two runs and four RBI while also earning the win in game two after going the distance and allowing two runs on six hits to go with four strikeouts and two walks. With the victory, Carbone improved to 4-1 this season.

Senior first baseman Lindsay McKillop (East Meadow, N.Y./East Meadow) went 3-for-6 with a walk, a run, and one RBI, and sophomore Megan Ruonavaara (Rocky Hill, Conn./Rocky Hill) recorded two hits, two runs, and two RBI. Classmates Alison Sumski (Amherst, N.H./Souhegan) and Cayleigh McCarthy (Norfolk, Mass./King Phillip) also had two hits each as Stonehill earned its second sweep in as many days.

Bentley was led offensively by senior Jackie Gauthier (Braintree, Mass./Braintree) and junior Shannon Connor (West Haven, Conn./West Haven). Gauthier went 3-for-6 with a run and one RBI, while Connor was 3-for-6 with a run. Senior Kelly Sanborn (Hopkinton, Mass./Hopkinton) had a hit in each game while also drawing a walk and driving in two runs.

Stonehill won today's opener despite being out-hit 8-6, with six different Skyhawks recording base hits. Ruonavaara went 1-for-3 with two RBI, while McKillop and Carbone were 1-for-3 with one RBI.

Ruonavaara also pitched the first two innings, giving up two runs on three hits, before giving way to freshman Cassandra Squeri (New Providence, N.J./New Providence), who earned the win after allowing just one run on five hits the rest of the way.

Carbone

Graduate student Carly Taitz (Blue Point, N.Y./Bayport-Blue Point) took the loss for the Falcons after giving up six runs (four earned) with three strikeouts and two walks. Freshman Michelle DeVito (Bay Shore, N.Y./Bay Shore) did a nice job in relief, pitching the final three innings without letting a single Stonehill hitter reach base. Connor and Gauthier had two hits each for the Falcons, while Sanborn drove in a pair of runs.

Stonehill, which piled up 15 hits in game two of yesterday's doubleheader sweep over Assumption, picked up right where it left off in the first inning against the Falcons. Senior Jocelynne Morrell (West Haven, Conn./West Haven) sandwiched a walk between a pair of strikeouts, and McKillop picked up a two-out single to keep the inning alive. After Squeri loaded the bases on a hit by pitch, Ruonavaara helped her own cause by driving home the game's first two runs with a single down the left field line. Carbone came up next and singled home Stonehill's third run of the frame, and Ruonavaara came around to score on a throwing error that allowed Carbone to advance to third base. Following a single by sophomore Lauren Esposito (Middlefield, Conn./Coginchaug), the Skyhawks scored for the fifth time when Carbone swiped home on a successful double steal attempt. 

Bentley cut into Stonehill's lead in the second inning on a two-run triple by Sanborn. Connor and Gauthier recorded back-to-back singles with one out in the inning, and two batters later Sanborn plated both runners with her first triple of the season. The Falcons threatened again the next inning, putting runners on second and third, before Connor grounded out to end the frame.

The Skyhawks added another run in the top of the fourth after putting together a two-out rally. Sumski got it going with a single up the middle, and eventually came around to score when McKillop drew a bases-loaded walk. After four innings, Stonehill held a 6-2 advantage.

Sophomore Alison Sumski recorded a hit in each of Stonehill's two victories at Bentley.

Bentley scored one more run in the sixth on an RBI triple by Gauthier, but Connor was thrown out at home attempting to score from first. The Falcons went down in order in the seventh inning, as Stonehill earned its third straight victory.

Carbone led Stonehill to victory in game two with a solid pitching effort while also driving in three runs at the plate. McCarthy went 2-for-4 with one RBI, and McKillop was 2-for-3.

After a scoreless first, Carbone gave herself some run support in the second inning, as she doubled to left field, scoring McKillop and Ruonavaara for the first two runs of the game. Carbone then came around to score on the next play when McCarthy singled up the middle, as Stonehill led 3-0 after two frames.

McCarthy, who launched two home runs in yesterday's 7-6 win over Assumption, continued her hot hitting with a leadoff triple in the fourth inning. She came around to score one play later on a throwing error to give the Skyhawks a 4-0 advantage.

Bentley finally broke through in the bottom of the fourth with two runs on two hits and one error. The Falcons loaded the bases with one out, and senior Samantha Tierney (Wappinger Falls, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) drove in a run with an infield single. On the next play, Gauthier was thrown out at home on a fielder's choice for the second out of the inning. Senior Chelsea Tamuk (Port Jefferson, N.Y./Earl L. Vandermeulen) followed with a single to right field, scoring Sanborn, but Tierney was thrown out at home to end the frame.

Stonehill added one more run in the top of the fifth on an RBI triple by Carbone, her second hit of the game, while Bentley managed just one hit over its final three at-bats.

Stonehill (9-11, 4-2 NE-10) will be off tomorrow before returning to action this weekend with a pair of doubleheaders at Gartland Field against NE-10 Southwest Division foes. The Skyhawks are set to host Le Moyne College on Saturday at 12:30 p.m., and The College of Saint Rose on Sunday at the same time. Bentley (8-8, 2-4 NE-10) is scheduled to play the same opponents this weekend, as the Falcons will host Saint Rose on Saturday and Le Moyne on Sunday.

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