Softball Bests RIT, Falls to SUNY Cobleskill During Third Day of Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic

FORT MYERS, Fla. – The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) softball team split a pair of games during the third day of the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic in Fort Myers, Fla., Tuesday morning. The Blue Jays started the day with an 8-5 victory against the Tigers, before concluding the day with a 9-1 defeat against the Fighting Tigers. With the results, USJ moved to 2-3 on the young season, while the Tigers fell to 2-5, and the Fighting Tigers moved to 2-4 overall.

USJ 8, RIT 5

HOW IT HAPPENED

• USJ wasted no time opening up the scoring, as freshman infielder Jaylynn Poll (Waterbury, Conn.) led off the game with a walk before stealing second. Sophomore infielder Jennifer Antonowicz (Wolcott, Conn.) took full advantage of the opportunity, slashing a single up the middle, plating Poll, and establishing a 1-0 lead.
• The Blue Jays then loaded the bases, setting up sophomore outfielder Analise Escarraman (Windham, Conn.), who was hit by a pitch, enabling Antonowicz to score and increasing the lead to 2-0.
• In the next at-bat, starting pitcher junior Kaitlyn Ouellette (Wolcott, Conn.) reached base on a fielder's choice, while junior infielder Emma Carpenter (Brooklyn, Conn.) was able to score on the play to extend the lead to 3-0.
• Junior catcher Allison Conger (Plainfield, Conn.) rounded out the big opening inning by notching an RBI single, pushing the lead to 4-0 after the first frame.
• USJ extended the lead to 5-0 in the second inning after an error by RIT's left fielder. They then tacked on one run in the top of the third and another in the top of the fourth, both via RIT errors, increasing the lead to 7-0 after four innings.
• RIT responded in the bottom of the fifth, scoring four runs to close the deficit to three, 7-4.
• However, USJ answered back in the top of the sixth as Ouellette notched an RBI single to center, plating Antonowicz and reopening a four-run lead, 8-4.
• The Tigers scored a run in the bottom of the seventh, but senior pitcher Alyssa Roberts (Naugatuck, Conn.), who entered the game in relief of Ouellette in the sixth inning, shut the door to preserve the 8-5 victory.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Antonowicz paced the team with two hits and two runs scored.
• Ouellette notched a team-best two RBIs.
• Poll drew a team-best two walks.
• Poll and Carpenter also swiped two bags each to lead the Blue Jays.
• Ouellette earned the win inside the circle (1-0), tossing three strikeouts while allowing four runs on seven hits in 5.0 innings of work.
• Roberts threw two strikeouts while surrendering one run on three hits in 2.0 innings of relief.

USJ 1, COBLESKILL 9

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Fighting Tigers controlled the opening four innings, breaking open a 5-0 lead through the top half of the fourth.
• USJ got on the scoreboard in the bottom half of the fourth, as Ouellette launched an RBI double to the right-center gap, plating freshman outfielder Lorynes Suriel (Lynn, Mass.) to cut the deficit to 5-1.
• However, Cobleskill kept the Blue Jays' bats at bay for the remainder of the game, scoring once in the fifth and three more times in the top of the seventh to secure the 9-1 victory.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Antonowicz continued her strong day, batting 3-for-4.
• Senior shortstop Jenna Zup (Berlin, Conn.) also had a multi-hit game, slashing two singles.
• Antonowicz stole the lone base for USJ.
• Junior pitcher Paige Fekete (Watertown, Conn.) got the start for USJ, picking up the loss (0-2) after allowing six runs (three earned) on six hits while throwing two strikeouts in 4.2 innings of work.
• Sophomore Analise Escarraman (Windham, Conn.) pitched the remaining 2.1 innings, allowing three runs (one earned) on three hits and striking out one Fighting Tiger.

UP NEXT

The Blue Jays continue the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic on Wednesday, March 12, with a pair of games against La Roche and Bethany. First pitch against the Redhawks in Naples, Fla., is set for 9:00 a.m., while the opening pitch against the Bison is scheduled for 11:00 a.m.

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