Senior Alison Sumski went a near perfect 7-for-8 in today's sweep of Saint Michael's

Skyhawks combine for 30 hits and 26 runs over two games

MANCHESTER, N.H. (April 9, 2016) – The Stonehill College softball team exploded for 26 runs on 30 hits in today's Northeast-10, Northeast Division doubleheader sweep of Saint Michael's at Southern New Hampshire University Softball Field. The Skyhawks won a shortened game one, 14-0, before winning game two in five innings, 12-3.

Senior Alison Sumski (Amherst, New Hampshire/Souhegan) finished a near perfect 7-for-8 with four runs, three RBI, and two doubles. Junior Lianna Jordan (Staten Island, New York/St. Joseph By the Sea) went 5-for-7 with five RBI and three runs, while senior Megan Staudle (New Windsor, New York/Cornwall Central) posted multi-hit efforts in both games, going 4-for-8 with five runs and a RBI. Junior Cassandra Squeri also recorded multi-hit efforts in both games, going 4-for-6 with three runs and three RBI.

For Saint Michael's, junior Caroline Staples (Stoughton, Massachusetts/Fontbonne Academy) and senior Jenna Maksian (Shrewsbury, Massachusetts/Shrewsbury) led the way at the plate, as Staples finished 2-for-5 with two RBI, while Maksian went 2-for-4 with two doubles and two runs.

Stonehill 14, Saint Michael's 0

Senior Sarah Ropiak (Acton, Massachusetts/Acton-Boxborough) got the start for Stonehill in the opener and pitched a complete game shutout, throwing five innings while striking out eight and only allowing four baserunners.

Stonehill jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, behind a RBI double by junior Michelle Carbone (Deer Park, New York/St. Anthony's) and an RBI double by Sumski. The Skyhawks plated two more runs in the second when Jordan doubled to center field, scoring Staudle and senior Emily Padilla (Wappingers Falls, New York/Roy C. Ketcham).

Stonehill scored once more in the top of the fourth inning when Staudle singled to center field and advanced to second on a passed ball. Jordan then stepped to the plate and delivered an RBI single to center field to make the score 5-0 Skyhawks.

The Skyhawks bats caught fire in the fifth inning, as nine runs crossed the plate. Sumski started the inning with a double and Squeri knocked her in with a single to center field. Junior Jacklyn Oleksak (Massapequa, New York/Plainedge) then hit a double of her own, advancing Squeri to third. Freshman Erin Brayden (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) followed up with her first career RBI, hitting a sacrifice fly to leftfield to plate Squeri. In total, 15 Stonehill batters stepped up to the plate in the fifth inning and nine recorded hits, two walked and one reached base on an error to end the game early, 14-0.

Stonehill 12, Saint Michael's 3

Stonehill picked up right where they left off at the end of the first game, scoring eight runs in the first inning, which saw seven different Skyhawk hitters record an RBI and eight different Skyhawks score a run.

Saint Michael's got two runs back in the bottom of the first, but Stonehill kept the pressure on, using a Ruonavaara bunt single to score Carbone in the second inning.

Stonehill scored again in the third inning when Carbone reached on a fielder's choice to the shortstop, scoring Staudle from third base. The Skyhawks scored twice more in the fifth to make it 12-2, as Carbone worked a one out walk and Sumski followed with a single to left field. Both runners advanced a base on a passed ball and Squeri connected on an RBI single, scoring Carbone. Ruonavaara followed up reaching base on a fielder's choice and scoring Sumski to cap the scoring on the day for Stonehill.

Saint Michael's scored once more in the bottom of the fifth but it wasn't enough as the game was called early again, ending the second game at 12-3 and giving Stonehill their ninth win in the NE-10.

Stonehill (13-11, 9-3 NE-10) returns to action tomorrow at Southern New Hampshire Softball Field as they close out their weekend series against Saint Michael's (3-19, 2-10 NE-10) with first pitch at noon.   

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