Softball Sweeps Anna Maria In Key GNAC Doubleheader Monday

PAXTON, Mass. – The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) softball team got a much-needed sweep Monday in doubleheader action against the AMCATS of Anna Maria College (ANM), taking games one and two by a final score of 3-2 and 9-8 (8 innings) respectively, in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) doubleheader at the AMCAT Softball Field.

GAME ONE
Score: Saint Joseph 3, Anna Maria 2
Records: USJ 12-16 (3-8 GNAC), ANM 11-18 (4-7 GNAC)
Location: AMCAT Softball Field | Paxton, Mass.

KEY MOMENTS

• Game one was a pitcher's duel as freshman Amanda Savinelli (New Haven, Conn.) put in one of the better games of her young career. Sophomore Eden Forget (Worcester, Mass.) was equally as impressive in the early going for the hosts as both pitchers kept things scoreless through four.
• The Blue Jays broke through first though with a single run in the frame off the bat of freshman Jenna Zup (Berlin, Conn.), who singled up the middle to score Savinelli, who had led off the inning with a rocket-double. An AMCAT answer came with one down in the bottom of the sixth, as Forget got herself involved in the offense as well with an RBI single to right. A sacrifice groundout two batters later gave Anna Maria its first lead, 2-1.
• The Blue Jays got the best of the AMCATS though with a clutch seventh inning, as three batters reached base successfully, capped by senior captain Frankie Ferrante (Southington, Conn.), who drove in two on a single to right field, igniting the Blue Jay dugout for her 19th and 20th RBI of the season (leads the Blue Jays with 21). Savinelli came back to pitch the final half inning and did so with something to prove, allowing just one baserunner before retiring the side and ending the Blue Jays dry spell.

IN THE CIRCLE

USJ – Savinelli picked up the win (5-11) allowing just two runs on seven hits in a complete game. She also struck out four.

ANM – Forget dipped to 5-9 on the season and also threw a complete game. She allowed three runs on nine hits and also struck out four.

GAME TWO
Score: Saint Joseph 9, Anna Maria 8 (8 Innings)
Records: USJ 13-16 (4-8 GNAC), ANM 11-19 (4-8 GNAC)
Location: AMCAT Softball Field | Paxton, Mass.

KEY MOMENTS

• In game two, senior Natalie Amato (Cheshire, Conn.) once again dominated the circle striking out 10 batters of 16 total faced. Amato held Anna Maria to just one run in four innings, she left with a 2-0 lead off the bats of Zup and freshman Alexandra Silver (Vernon, Conn.).
• The fifth inning was chaotic as the teams combined to score nine runs, nearly half of what was scored between the two teams in two games on the day. USJ got five runs on five hits, the first run by senior Riley Mulligan (Lincoln, R.I.), the other four off a grand slam from senior Kacy O'Connor (Milford, Conn.). It was her first career home run. Up 7-1, all looked well for the Blue Jays, but the AMCATS found another answer and scored four to make it 7-5, doing so on a double and two singles.
• The fireworks continued into the sixth with USJ tacking on another run, while Anna Maria had a huge two-out, two RBI single from senior Sabrina Liston (Rehoboth, Mass.) who wound up throwing a complete game as well in the end. The game was tied just like that at eight a-piece.
• Both teams were retired in the seventh, sending the game to extras. Who else but Ferrante to drive in the go-ahead run for USJ, this one on a SAC Fly. With a one-run lead, Savinelli, who already pitched a full first game, threw three innings of relief, including the last, holding a runner on third base and getting the Blue Jays out of the inning with a sweep on the day to keep their playoff hopes alive.

IN THE CIRCLE

USJ – Amato threw four tremendous innings, striking out 10 and allowing one run. Sophomore Adriana Quealy (East Hartford, Conn.) threw an inning of relief, while Savinelli threw three innings and allowed three runs (four hits) to close it out, picking up her second win of the afternoon (6-11).

ANM – Liston took the loss (6-10) throwing all eight innings for the AMCATS and allowing 13 hits (7 ER, 3 BB, 6 K).

COACH QUOTE [Jim McKinnon] "Those were two huge wins for us. It keeps us right in the middle of the playoff picture. You can't say enough about Amanda Savinelli. It's a lot to ask of anybody, let a lone a first-year player. It was good to see Natalie Amato give us some quality innings in game two. Every starter contributed for us on the day."

UP NEXT
Saint Joseph's longest road trip of the season concludes Tuesday, as the Blue Jays head to Quincy, Mass. for a visit to the Lions of Eastern Nazarene College, in a non-conference road doubleheader. The action kicks off on Tuesday, April 19 at 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. respectively.

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