Softball Sweeps Anna Maria On Senior Day

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) softball team made it a senior day to remember, sweeping its Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) cross-division doubleheader against Anna Maria College (Anna Maria) at home Saturday afternoon in West Hartford, Conn. The Blue Jays took game one, 9-1 after six innings before completing the sweep with a 8-9 shutout win after five innings in game two. The games do not count towards the GNAC standings, as the AMCATS are in the North Division, while the Blue Jays are in the South Division. Prior to first pitch in game one, the USJ Department of Athletics honored seniors Jenna Masiello (Cromwell, Conn.), Kelsie LaHouse (Coventry, Conn.) and Liliana Stoddard (Waterford, Conn.).

GAME ONE
Score: USJ 9, Anna Maria 1 – 6 innings
Records: USJ (17-17), Anna Maria (10-24)
Location: USJ Softball Field | West Hartford, Conn.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Game one started slow, as both pitchers denied the opposing offenses from getting on the scoreboard. The AMCATS would break the deficit in the top of the fourth, scoring a run to take a 1-0 lead. USJ wasted little time firing back, exploding offensively in the bottom of the frame. With one out, senior outfielder Masiello freshman Alexis Volinsky (Berwick, Maine) and freshman Kaitlyn Ouellette (Wolcott, Conn.) all got on base in consecutive at-bats to load the bases. Freshman outfielder McKenzie Fairfax (Waterbury, Conn.) took full advantage of the situation, slashing a hard-hit single towards the shortstop, scoring Masiello to tie the game at 1-1.

Junior Adriana Quealy (East Hartford, Conn.) continued the run parade, launching a double to the right center gap, clearing the bases to establish a 4-1 Blue Jays edge. LaHouse carried USJ's momentum into the next at-bat, reaching on an error while sophomore shortstop Jenna Zup (Berlin, Conn.), singled through the left side, reloading the bases. Junior outfielder Isabel Milardo (Middlefield, Conn.) then stepped up, hitting a single down the right field line, plating Quealy and LaHosue to increase the gap to 6-1. Sophomore Alyssa Roberts (Naugatuck, Conn.) rounded out the big inning, ripping a single through the right side, scoring Zup to establish a 7-1 USJ lead through four innings.

The Blue Jays looked to put the game to rest in the bottom of the sixth, as LaHouse lead off the inning, reaching first after an error by Anna Maria's third baseman. Zup then got two runners on base after being hit by a pitch in the next at-bat, setting up Milardo. Another costly error by the AMCATS saw the game come to an end, as Zup and LaHouse scored after an error by Anna Maria's third baseman, enacting the run rule to give USJ the win, 9-1.

IN THE CIRCLE

USJ – Ouellette earned the complete game victory (6-6), allowing one run off five hits, throwing one strikeout.

ANNA MARIA – Sabrina Liston picked up the loss in game one (7-14) allowing nine runs, six of which were earned, off eight hits, while tossing five strikeouts in 5.0 innings of work.

GAME TWO
Score: USJ 8, Anna Maria 0 – 5 innings
Records: USJ (17-17), Anna Maria (10-24)

HOW IT HAPPENED

Anna Maria threatened early, loading the bases with two outs in the top of the first. However, starting pitcher, freshman Paige Fekete (Watertown, Conn.), slammed the door, securing the final out with a strikeout to keep the AMCATS off the board. USJ quickly rewarded their pitcher in the bottom of the frame, as Zup lead off the inning with a triple, while a perfect bunt by Milardo enabled Zup to score, establishing a 1-0 USJ edge.

The Blue Jays tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the second, as Zup continued her hot day at the plate, slashing a single to right, plating freshman Allison Conger (Plainfield, Conn.) to increase the lead to 2-0. An error by the AMCATS center fielder on the next play enabled Zup to score, extending the USJ advantage to 3-0 through two innings.

The USJ offense continued to roll in the third, as Masiello began the inning with a leadoff single, before advancing to third on an error by the Anna Maria catcher. Fairfax took full advantage of the scenario, slashing a single to center, plating Masiello and increasing the gap to 4-0. After Fairfax stole second, Conger utilized a double down the left field line to plate Fairfax and establish a 5-0 edge. Zup later made it 6-0, doubling to straight center, scoring Conger to give the Blue Jays a 6-0 lead after three innings.

After a scoreless fourth, USJ looked to end the game in the bottom of the fifth. An error by the AMCATS first baseman allowed freshman Madelyn Ellis (Newington, Conn.) to reach base in the first at-bat, while a Fairfax single followed by a sacrifice bunt from Quealy put runners in prime scoring position on second and third. Anna Maria nearly got out of the inning, securing the second out, but pinch hitter Brianna Catalani (Watertown, Conn.), put an end to the game, doubling to left to score Ellis and Fairfax, enacting the run rule and completing the 8-0 victory for USJ.

IN THE CIRCLE

USJ – Fekete picked up the win inside the circle in game two (4-3) allowing no runs off five hits, while throwing four strikeouts in 4.0 innings of work. Freshman Tessa D'Aquila (Old Saybrook, Conn.) pitching the fifth inning in relief, allowing no runs and one hit.

ANNA MARIA – Eden Forget took the loss in game two (3-11), allowing eight runs, six of which were earned, off 11 hits in 4.2 innings of work.

COACH QUOTE [Jim McKinnon]
"It was a great two games today. We needed to get back to winning games. It was good to have Paige back pitching again for us, and Adriana at second base did well with the bat and in the field. Our overall defense continues to play well, and the hitting was there for us today. It was a great senior day for Lili, Jenna and Kelsie."

UP NEXT

The Blue Jays round out the non-conference portion of their 2023 slate, travelling to Massachusetts Maritime for a doubleheader on Wednesday, April 26. First pitch in game one against the Buccaneers is set for 4:00 p.m. on Allison Rollins Field in Buzzards Bay, Mass.

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