Senior Alison Sumski paced the Skyhawks at the plate, finishing 3-for-3 with two RBI. |
Skyhawks score five unanswered runs after early 7-0 deficit
BRIARCLIFF MANOR, N.Y. (April 29, 2016) – Southwest Division third seed Adelphi University scored six runs in the second inning and held off Northeast Division second seed Stonehill College for a 7-5 victory this afternoon in the second round of the Northeast-10 Conference Softball Tournament on the campus of Pace University.
Adelphi (29-19, 17-7 NE-10), ranked third in this week's NCAA East Regional Rankings, and 25th in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Poll, advances to tomorrow afternoon's semifinal round to take on host and Southwest Division top seed Pace.
Senior Sarah Ropiak (Acton, Massachusetts/Acton-Boxborough) got the start in the circle for Stonehill and pitched 3.1 innings, surrendering seven runs (one earned) on seven hits to go with three strikeouts. Classmate Megan Ruonavaara (Rocky Hill, Connecticut/Rocky Hill) came on in relief and pitched 3.2 scoreless innings, only allowing one hit while striking out four batters.
Senior Alison Sumski (Amherst, New Hampshire/Souhegan) powered Stonehill at the plate, finishing a perfect 3-for-3 with a run and two RBI. Junior Jacklyn Oleksak (Massapequa, New York/Plainedge) produced one of the five Skyhawk hits and recorded two RBI, while classmate Michelle Carbone (Deer Park, New York/St. Anthony's) went 1-for-2 with an RBI and run.
Junior Lindsay Mapes (Mount Vernon, Ohio/Centerburg) earned the win on the mound for Adelphi, pitching five innings of one hit ball, while striking out four. Freshman Kristin Fealy (Brampton, Ontario, Canada/Mayfield Secondary) came on in relief and allowed five runs (no earned) over two innings.
Sophomore Krista King (Franklin Square, New York/Kellenberg Memorial) and junior Stephanie Staiano (East Meadow, New York/Kellenberg Memorial) each posted a 2-for-4 effort for Adelphi, while NE-10 Player of the Year sophomore Brenna Martini (Fairfield, Connecticut/Fairfield Ludlowe) finished 1-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored.
After a scoreless first inning, Adelphi exploded in the top of the second, scoring six runs to put Stonehill in an early hole. Sophomore Megan Lewis (Corning, New York/Corning West) started the inning with a double down the right field line and junior Danielle Cutuli (East Meadow, New York/East Meadow) drew a one out walk. After junior Fallon McCarthy (Bayside, New York/Archbishop Molloy) reached on an error to load the bases, junior Christina Palmenteri (Mineola, New York/Mineola) registered an RBI single and freshman Nicoletta Cuccio (Dingmans Ferry, Pennsylvania/Delaware Valley) worked a bases loaded walk to force in a run. Martini then delivered a back breaking bases clearing single to do the majority of the Panthers damage.
Senior Megan Ruonavaara pitched 3.2 innings of scoreless relief today for the Skyhawks. |
Adelphi managed to score once more in the top of the fourth inning on a Nicole Camera (Metuchen, New Jersey/Metuchen) RBI single to add an insurance run.
Down seven runs, Stonehill started to chip away in the bottom half of the fourth. Junior Lianna Jordan (Staten Island, New York/St. Joseph By the Sea) reached on an error by the shortstop and Carbone walked to put two runners on base to start the one out rally. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch and Sumski connected on an RBI single to plate the Skyhawks first run. With two outs and two runners on, Oleksak stepped to the plate and came through with a huge two RBI single to centerfield, scoring Sumski and Carbone as Stonehill fought its way back into the game.
Ruonavaara put Adelphi down in order in the top of the fifth inning, bringing Stonehill up to the plate still down four runs. Senior Megan Staudle (New Windsor, New York/Cornwall Central) took advantage of an error by the shortstop, putting a runner on base with one out. Junior Taylor Lester (East Northport, New York/St. Anthony's) followed by getting on base by way of another error by the shortstop and Jordan hit into a fielder's choice to put runners on first and second with two outs. Carbone kept the innings alive when she singled up the middle, scoring Lester from second base. Carbone subsequently stole second base and Sumski singled, scoring Jordan and making it five unanswered runs for the Skyhawks.
Mapes was able to shut down Stonehill's offense in the sixth and seventh, putting the Skyhawks down in order in consecutive innings to secure the win and send Adelphi to tomorrow's semifinal contest against Pace.
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