Softball Splits Two Games During Second Day of Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic

FORT MYERS, Fla. – The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) softball team split two games during the second day of the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic in Fort Myers, Fla. Sunday morning. The Blue Jays started the day by falling to Westfield State University (WSU), 7-2, before bouncing back with an 11-3 victory against Alfred State College (ASC) to round out the day. With the results, USJ moved to 1-3 on the young season, while the Owls improved to 3-0, and the Pioneers dropped to 0-2.

USJ 2, WSU 7

HOW IT HAPPENED

• USJ wasted little time opening up the scoring, as senior infielder Brianna Catalani (Watertown, Conn.) slashed a one-out single to left field, plating senior shortstop Jenna Zup (Berlin, Conn.) and establishing a quick 1-0 lead after the first inning.
• However, WSU's bats came alive in the bottom of the third, exploding for four runs to take a 4-1 lead.
• The Blue Jays would tack on a run in the top half of the fourth, as sophomore infielder Jennifer Antonowicz (Wolcott, Conn.) took advantage of a wild pitch, crossing home to cut the gap to 4-2.
• The Owls though stifled USJ's bats for the remainder of the game, allowing only two more hits, while WSU scored one run in the bottom of the fourth and added two in the fifth to secure the victory, 7-2.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Five different Blue Jays recorded hits against the Owls, including freshman infielder Gabby Marichal (Lynn, Mass.) who notched her first career hit.
• Catalani drove in the lone RBI for USJ.
• Sophomore Analise Escarraman (Windham, Conn.) got the start inside the circle and picked up the loss (0-1), after allowing three runs off four hits, while striking out two batters in 2.1 innings of work.
• Junior Paige Fekete (Watertown, Conn.) hurled 2.1 innings in relief, allowing four runs off seven hits, while junior Jordyn Fitch (Andover, Conn.) threw the remaining 1.1 innings.

USJ 11, ASC 3 (6 INNINGS)

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Pioneers grabbed the lead immediately, scoring two runs in the top of the first inning to hold the advantage.
• USJ fired back though, matching the run total in the bottom half of the frame. With one out, senior Alyssa Roberts (Naugatuck, Conn.) drew a walk, loading the bases. Then, a wild pitch enabled Antonowicz to score from the third, cutting the deficit to 2-1.
• After freshman Lorynes Suriel (Lynn, Mass.) drew a walk to reload the bases, junior Kaitlyn Ouellette (Wolcott, Conn.) launched a ball deep to center field that allowed junior infielder Emma Carpenter (Brooklyn, Conn.) to score and tie the game at 2-2 after the opening full inning of play.
• ASC retook the lead in the top of the second, but the Blue Jays immediately answered again, as junior catcher Allison Conger (Plainfield, Conn.) hit a sacrifice fly that allowed Marchial to score and levelled the game at 3-3 after two innings.
• USJ took the lead for good in the bottom of the third, as Ouellette ripped a double to left, plating junior outfielder Avianna Ibrahim (Colchester, Conn.) to give the Blue Jays a 4-3 edge.
• The Blue Jays' bats would come alive in the bottom of the fifth, as Marchial recorded a one-out double to to left, scoring Suriel and increasing the lead to 5-3.
• In the very next at-bat, Conger grounded out to the second baseman, but the ball was hit deep enough into the infield to enable freshman pinch runner Jaylynn Poll (Waterbury, Conn.) to score and establish a 6-3 advantage. Then, Zup would single to right, plating Marchial to round out the big inning and increase the USJ gap to 7-3 through five innings.
• Marchial continued her great day at the plate in the bottom of the sixth, launching a two-RBI single to establish a 9-3 USJ lead.
• In the next at-bat, Conger ripped a RBI single down the right field line to increase the lead to 10-3, before Marchial was able to score on a wild pitch, enacting the run-rule as USJ took home the victory, 11-3, after six innings.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Marchial had a career-day, batting 3-for-3, scoring three runs and tallying three RBI.
• Conger also tallied three RBI, while Ouellette recorded two.
• USJ combined for five stolen bases, paced by two from Antonowicz.
• Roberts picked up the complete game victory (1-1), allowing three runs off eight hits, while tallying one strikeout in 6.0 innings of work.

UP NEXT

The Blue Jays continue the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic on Tuesday, March 11 with a pair of games against RIT and SUNY Cobleskill. First pitch against the Tigers in Fort Myers, Fla. is set for 9:00 a.m., while opening pitch against the Fighting Tigers is slated for 11:00 a.m.

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