Softball Drops GNAC Doubleheader at Home to JWU Wednesday Afternoon

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) softball team dropped a doubleheader at home to Johnson & Wales University (JWU) Wednesday afternoon during Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play on the USJ Softball Field in West Hartford, Conn. The Wildcats took game one, 14-6, after six innings before completing the sweep with a 15-9 win in game two.
 
GAME ONE
Score: USJ 6, JWU 14 – 6 innings
Records: USJ (11-9, 2-1 GNAC), JWU (15-7, 4-1 GNAC)
Location: USJ Softball Field | West Hartford, Conn.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Wildcats jumped out to an early lead, scoring nine unanswered runs to hold a 9-0 edge through three innings. The Blue Jays looked to fire back in the bottom of the third, as freshman outfielder Kaitlyn Ouellette (Wolcott, Conn.) and junior outfield Isabel Milardo (Middlefield, Conn.) both got on base in back-to-back at bats. The situation played perfectly into sophomore Jenna Zup's (Berlin, Conn.) hand, as she launched a three-run home run to left field, cutting the gap to 9-3.

JWU tacked on a run in the top of the fourth to establish a 10-3 edge, but in the bottom of the frame, freshman Alexis Volinsky (Berwick, Maine) continued her hot streak at the plate, launching a two-run homerun, her third dinger in as many games, scoring sophomore pitcher Alyssa Roberts (Naugatuck, Conn.) to cut the gap to five, 10-5. A Wildcats solo shot in the fifth saw the visitors extend the lead to 11-5, but Roberts quickly cut the deficit back to five, 11-6, after a sacrifice fly plated Zup in the bottom of the fifth. However, the Wildcats scored two more runs in the sixth while keeping the Blue Jays off the board, enacting the run rule and securing a 14-6 victory.

IN THE CIRCLE

USJ – Roberts saw the start in game one and picked up the loss (4-4) after allowing seven runs, six of which were earned, off seven hits in 1.2 innings of work. Freshman Tessa D'Aquila (Old Saybrook, Conn.) pitched 3.2 innings in relief of Roberts, allowing seven runs off seven hits in 3.2 innings of action. Junior Adriana Quealy (East Hartford, Conn.) pitched the remaining 0.2 innings, giving up one hit.

JWU – Katie Scheid earned the win inside the circle for JWU (9-2) allowing six runs, five of which were earned, off five hits in 4.1 innings of work. Livia Feole pitched 1.2 innings in relief for the Wildcats, allowing one hit in 1.2 innings of action.

GAME TWO
Score: USJ 9, JWU 15
Records: USJ (11-10, 2-2 GNAC), JWU (16-7, 5-1 GNAC)

The Wildcats took another early lead in game two, scoring twice in the top of the first, but the lead would not last long as the USJ offense exploded in the bottom half of the frame. Ouellette led off the inning with a double to left before taking advantage of a JWU error, advancing all the way home to cut the gap to 2-1. Milardo and Zup would get on second and third in the following at bats, allowing Roberts to hit a ball deep enough into the infield to plate Milardo and tie the game at 2-2. Volinsky continued her sensational streak at the plate, slashing a triple to the left center gap, plating Zup while advancing on a wild pitch in the next at-bat, to give the Blue Jays a 4-2 edge after the opening inning.

The second inning would be much like the first for USJ, as the Blue Jays continued to fire on all cylinders. Freshman outfielder McKenzie Fairfax (Waterbury, Conn.) would be hit by a pitch to start the inning, while Ouellette singled down the left field line to get two runners on base. The duo would execute a perfect double steal, putting runners in prime scoring position, allowing Milardo to hit a deep fly to center field, scoring Fairfax from the sacrifice fly. Zup continued the run parade during the following at bat, singling through the right side to bring home Ouellette and increase the USJ lead to 6-2. Volinsky rounded out the hot start later in the inning, ripping a single up the middle to see senior outfielder Jenna Masiello (Cromwell, Conn.) score and extend the gap to 7-2.

However, the Wildcats would not go down easy, scoring twice in the third to pull back within two, 7-5. Milardo would use another sacrifice fly to plate freshman catcher Allison Conger (Plainfield, Conn.) in the bottom of the third, but a six-run inning in the fourth by JWU saw the visitors take the lead, 11-8, through four innings. After JWU added another run in the fifth to increase the gap to 12-8, Roberts looked to begin a USJ comeback in the bottom of the sixth, tripling to center field, allowing Masiello to score as the Blue Jays got within three, 12-9. The Wildcats though would not let the Blue Jays get any closer, adding three insurance runs in the seventh while setting the USJ side in order to end the game, securing a 15-9 victory.

IN THE CIRCLE

USJ – Ouellette got the start in game two, picking up the loss (3-2) after allowing nine runs, six of which were earned, off seven hits in 3.2 innings of work. D'Aquila pitched 0.1 innings in relief, allowing three runs off two hits, while Quealy pitched the remaining 3.0 innings, allowing three runs off four hits.

JWU – Sage Borkowski saw the start in game two for JWU, receiving a no decision after allowing seven runs, four of which were earned, off four hits in 1.2 innings of work. Feole took home the victory (2-2) pitching 5.1 innings in relief, allowing two runs off six hits, while recording two strikeouts.

UP NEXT
The Blue Jays head on the road, travelling to intra-state rivals Albertus Magnus College for a doubleheader on Sunday, April 8. First pitch in game one against the Falcons is set for noon from the Shea Softball Complex in New Haven, Conn.

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