Softball Drops Pair of Games in Florida Sunday

NAPLES, Fla. – The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) softball team dropped two games during the second day of the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic in Naples, Fla. The Blue Jays first dropped a 7-6 decision to Penn State Altoona (PSU) to open the morning, before falling to Emerson, 12-4, to close out the day. With the results, the Blue Jays drop to 2-2 on the young season.

USJ 6, PSU 7

HOW IT HAPPENED

• After a scoreless opening two frames, the Lions grabbed a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third.
• PSU extended the gap to 4-0, tacking on a run in the bottom of the fourth.
• USJ would begin to fight back in the top of the fifth, scoring the team's first run of the day after sophomore Jordyn Fitch (Andover, Conn.) used heads-up baserunning to score on a ball hit in the infield, closing the gap to 4-1.
• In the next at-bat, sophomore outfielder Avianna Ibrahim (Colchester, Conn.) continued her strong day at the plate, ripping a single to left, plating freshman infielder Jenn Antonowicz (Wolcott, Conn.) to cut the deficit to 4-2.
• The run parade continued in the fifth, as junior infielder Brianna Catalani (Watertown, Conn.) drew a walk, but the final pitch went past the catcher, allowing Ibrahim to score and close the gap to 4-3.
• In the very next at-bat, sophomore outfielder Kaitlyn Ouellette (Wolcott, Conn.) launched a triple to right, bringing home two runners, before starting pitcher freshman Analise Escarraman (Windhman, Conn.), singled to center field, plating Ouellette and establish a 6-4 USJ lead.
• The Lions immediately tied the score at 6-6 in the bottom half of the frame, before winning in walk-off fashion in the bottom of the seventh, 7-6.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Escarraman picked up a no decision in her first career start, throwing 4.0 innings, allowing five hits, four runs, three of which were earned, and striking out four batters.
• Sophomore Paige Fekete (Watertown, Conn.) took the loss, giving up three runs, one of which was earned, off seven hits in 2.0 innings of relief.
• Ibrahim paced the Blue Jays at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3 on the day, drawing a walk and tallying an RBI and one run scored.
• Ouellette had a solid day, recording a team-high two RBI.
• Ibrahim swiped two bags, while Fitch and Antonowicz also stole a base.

USJ 4, EMERSON 12

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Lions grabbed an early lead, holding a 2-0 edge after the top of the first.
• USJ quickly fired back in the bottom of the frame when sophomore infielder Alexis Volinsky (Berwick, Maine), tripling to center field, plating junior outfielder Izzy Milardo (Middlefield, Conn.) and cutting the gap to 2-1.
• Emerson answered with two more runs in the top of the second, jumping out to a 4-1 edge.
• The Blue Jays cut the deficit back to one, 4-3, in the bottom of the fourth, as freshman catcher Sydney Robison (Clinton, Conn.), singled up the middle, enabling Ouellette and freshman outfielder Lorraine Cloutier (East Longmeadow, Mass.) to score.
• Emerson again jumper out to a four-run lead, 7-3 in the top of the sixth, while Ouellette came home to score in the bottom half of the frame, closing the gap to 7-4.
• However, the Lions put the game to rest in the top of the seventh, scoring five runs to take home a 12-4 victory.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Ouellette (0-1) got the start inside the circle, picking up the loss after allowing eight runs off 11 hits, and striking out four batters in 6.0 innings of work.
• Sophomore Tessa D'Aquila (Old Saybrook, Conn.), pitched the final innings, allowing four runs off four hits.
• Robison tallied a team-high two RBI.

UP NEXT
The Blue Jays have Monday off and return to the diamond on Tuesday, March 12 for two games during the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic. USJ first plays Eureka College before rounding out the day against the nationally-ranked No. 18 Coe Kohawks. First pitch against Eureka at the Lee County Sports Complex in Fort Meyers, Fla., is set for 9:00 a.m.

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