Junior Michelle Carbone delivered a walk-off, two-run homerun in the first game of the doubleheader today.

Skyhawks pick up sixth straight win

EASTON, Mass. (April 11, 2016) – The Stonehill College softball team swept a pair of Northeast-10 Conference games with Southern Connecticut State University this evening at Gartland Field. Stonehill defeated Southern Connecticut by the way of a walk-off homerun to win 6-4 in the opener, before rallying to win game two by a score of 10-4 for its sixth straight win.

Senior Megan Ruonavaara (Rocky Hill, Connecticut/Rocky Hill) had an outstanding day at the plate for Stonehill, going 3-for-6 with two runs, four RBI and two homeruns. Junior Michelle Carbone (Rocky Hill, Connecticut/Rocky Hill) delivered a walk-off, two-run homerun in the first game and finished the day going 4-for-7 with two runs and five RBI, while senior Emily Padilla (Wappingers Falls, New York/Roy C. Ketcham) and sophomore Erin Brayden (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) registered three hits each.

Senior Sarah Ropiak (Acton, Massachusetts/Acton-Boxborough) earned the win in the first game, improving her record to 7-5 on the year after throwing a complete game with four runs and six strikeouts. Junior Cassandra Squeri (New Providence, New Jersey/New Providence) picked up her first win of the season in game two, pitching three innings of scoreless relief while giving up just two hits.

For Southern Connecticut, junior Lauren Yaffa (Manchester, Connecticut/Manchester) finished 2-for-3 with a pinch hit homerun, while sophomore Victoria Ceballos (Bridgeport, Connecticut/St. Joseph's) went 2-for-6 with a homerun and three runs scored.

Stonehill 6, Southern Connecticut 4

Stonehill jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the first inning when senior Lauren Esposito (Middlefield, Connecticut/Coginchaug) led off the inning with a walk and classmate Megan Staudle (New Windsor, New York/Cornwall Central) dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move her over to second base. Junior Lianna Jordan (Staten Island, New York/St. Joseph By the Sea) then moved Esposito over to third before Carbone singled to leftfield, scoring Esposito for the game's first run.

Stonehill doubled its lead in the second as Ruonavaara opened the inning with a leadoff homerun. Southern Connecticut responded in the top of the third, using a leadoff solo homerun by Ceballos to cut the deficit to one.

Newly minted NE-10 Player of the Week senior Alison Sumski (Amherst, New Hampshire/Souhegan) continued the trend and hit a leadoff solo homerun to left center field in the fourth inning. Junior Jacklyn Oleksak (Massapequa, New York/Plainedge) followed up with a single through the left side of the infield and Brayden launched a one out double to left field to advance Oleksak to third. Padilla then recorded an RBI when she singled up the middle, giving the Skyhawks two runs in the inning.

Both teams went scoreless the remainder of the game until the seventh and final inning. Southern Connecticut rallied from three runs down to plate three of their own to tie the game at four runs apiece heading to the bottom of the seventh inning. When Stonehill stepped up to the plate, Jordan delivered a one-out double to left field and Carbone connected on a two-run homerun to end the game and give the Skyhawls the opening game of the series.

Senior Megan Ruonavaara blasted two homeruns today in the doubleheader sweep.

Stonehill 10, Southern Connecticut 4       

Ruonavaara took the ball in game two for Stonehill, but was chased after allowing four runs in the top of the fourth inning as Southern Connecticut took a 4-3 lead. The Skyhawks responded in a big way in the top of the fifth, scoring six runs to retake the lead. Sumski reached base via a walk to start the inning and Ruonavaara followed with a single through the left side. Oleksak then came through with an RBI single and Brayden registered an RBI when she reached base on a fielder's choice. Later in the inning, Staudle connected on a two-RBI single and Carbone also recorded two RBI as she doubled to left field, as the Skyhawks took a commanding 9-4 lead.

Squeri came on in relief for Ruonavaara and found her groove early, throwing 3.1 innings while only allowing two hits and a walk, shutting down the Owls offense. Stonehill plated its tenth and final run in the bottom of the sixth when Esposito reached base on a fielder's choice and advanced to second on a throwing error by the shortstop. Staudle then hit a sacrifice fly to move Esposito over to third, but the right fielder over threw the third baseman and Esposito was able to waltz home for the tenth run of the game. Squeri then worked around a two out single to end the game and give the Skyhawks their sixth straight win.

Stonehill (16-11, 12-3 NE-10) will return to the diamond on Wednesday, as they travel to Merrimack College for a doubleheader starting at 3:00 p.m. Southern Connecticut State (8-23, 2-12 NE-10) is back in action tomorrow as they host Saint Rose University for a doubleheader starting at 3:00 p.m.

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