Calabrese Flirts With the Cycle, Poppett Shuts Out Albright as Softball Splits Day 3 in Myrtle Beach

NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. —  After seeing yesterday's games washed out, the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) softball team salvaged a split on Day 3 at the Fastpitch Dreams Classic, shutting out Albright College 15-0 to improve to 2-1 on the season. Isabella Calabrese (Smithtown, N.Y./Hauppauge) nearly hit for the cycle in the win and knocked her first collegiate home run.

In their first game on Sunday, the Bears held a 4-1 lead on Mount Aloysius before the Mounties rallied for a 13-5 win, handing SJC their first loss of the season.

Mount Aloysius 13, St. Joseph's 5 (6 inn)

The Bears jumped out to an early 3-0 lead knocking five hits in the top of the first. Emily Burroughs (Escondido, Calif./San Pasqual) opened the scoring with the first of her two doubles in the game and Nicole Trani (Staten Island, N.Y./Moore Catholic) brought two more home with single.

Sofia Logreco (San Diego, Calif./Mission Hills) legged out an inside-the-park home run in the fourth for her first collegiate home run and pushing the Bears lead to 4-1.

Held to just one run and four hits through three, the Mounties bats came alive late knocking 13 of their 17  hits and totaling 12 runs in the final three innings. Mount Aloysius used a six-run fourth to take a 7-4 lead and ended the game early with a five-run sixth.

Burroughs led the Bears at the dish, knocking two doubles in a 2-for-3 effort, scoring once and driving in a run. Trani had two RBI. Bella Hurtado (San Diego, Calif./Olympian) went 2-for-3.

St. Joseph's 15, Albright 0 (5 inn)

The Bears bats rang out 18 hits and Calabrese's 4-for-4, three-RBI effort led six with multi-hit games and 10 different Bears to knock a hit. Autumn Poppett silenced the Lions surrendering just four hits in a five-inning, complete-game shutout, striking out five in her first collegiate win.

RBI singles from Ashleigh Hartwig (Santee, Calif./West Hills) and Brianna Kilimet (Valley Stream, N.Y./Sacred Heart Academy) in the first gave SJC an early 2-0 advantage before the Bears broke the game open with an eight-run second. Maeve McKeon (Point Pleasant, N.J./Point Pleasant) led off the big frame with a double and scored on a Calabrese triple. RBIs from Burroughs and Hurtado pushed the lead to 5-0 before four more runs trotted home on wild pitches. Calabrese brought McKeon home again with a double to cap off the scoring in the inning.

The fourth saw the Bears add four more highlighted by Calabrese's inside-the-park home run—the first of her collegiate career. Jaden Mecham (West Jordan, Utah/Copper Hills) and Hurtado also two-out RBI singles to pad the Bears lead.

Coming back up to bat in the fifth needing a single to complete the cycle, Calabrese knocked a double to finish her four-hit day. In the bottom half of the inning, Poppett worked a perfect frame, striking out the final two batters to seal the shutout.

Arianna Heinsch (Brooklyn, N.Y./Fontbonne Hall Academy) finished 2-for-4 and scored three runs with three stolen bases. McKeon and Kilimet both finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Kilimet also picked up a RBI and McKeon knocked a double and stole two bases.

Hurtado and Mecham both had multi-RBI games, bringing in two runs. Hurtado finished 2-for-3 with a run scored. Gomez finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored and three stolen bases.

Next Up

The Bears wrap up their trip to Myrtle Beach with a set against Lycoming and Franciscan tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.