Regis Softball Loses Two Home GNAC Contests Sunday

WESTON, Mass. – Regis College lost two games to the University of St. Joseph, 9-1 and 10-4, Sunday afternoon in Great Northeast Athletic Conference softball action at the Regis Softball Field.

St. Joseph 9, Regis 1

After a scoreless first inning in which both teams left two runners on base, Morgan Skoly of St. Joseph led off the second inning with an infield single, stole second base, and came around to score on a single by Lindsey O'Bright, who also advanced to second on the throw home. O'Bright reached third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a single by Amaria Sharon.

The Blue Jays broke the game open in the third inning, loading the bases and then scoring one run apiece on a single by Megan Burke, a sacrifice fly by Skoly, and a single by Brianna Barfield. Later in the inning, Michelle Woodruff drew a walk to once again load the bases, and Sharon, the starting pitcher for St. Joseph, helped her own cause with a grand slam.

Regis put together a scoring chance in the bottom of the fourth inning on singles by Ellery Rasmussen (Kingston, N.H.) and Sarah Fawcett (Londonderry, N.H.) as well as a Blue Jay error. Nikki Papadopoulos (Coventry, Conn.) sent a single to right field that drove in Fawcett, but that would be the only run for the Pride in the inning.

After Sharon pitched the first four innings, Julia Annecchiarico came on in the fifth and allowed one hit and two walks to load the bases, but she induced a groundout and two flyouts to prevent the Pride from scoring any runs to extend the game.

Sharon allowed just five hits and one unearned run in four innings, striking out four batters without allowing a walk, plus she was 4-for-4 with five RBI at the plate. Alyssa Ward (Webster, Mass.) took the loss for Regis, pitching the first 2 2/3 innings before being relieved by Nicole Tebo (Kingston, N.H.), who gave up just two hits and one walk in 2 1/3 innings of work.

St. Joseph 10, Regis 4

St. Joseph (12-12, 3-1 GNAC) jumped on the board in the top of the first inning as Kara Klimaszewski doubled to drive in Sharon, and then Isabella Russo singled to score Klimaszewski. Regis responded in the bottom of the first inning, loading the bases on walks by Allie Petillo (West Sayville, N.Y.) and Brianna Napoleone (Medford, Mass.) bookending a Rasmussen single. Fawcett sent a shot into the right-center field gap, scoring Petillo and Rasmussen to tie the game at 2-2.

The Pride took the lead in the bottom of the second as Papadopoulos singled, advanced to second on a Petillo single, and scored on a double to left-center field by Kelsey Grimard (Pelham, N.H.).

St. Joseph quickly responded in the third inning as Russo and McKenna Driscoll led off with consecutive doubles to tie the game. With the bases loaded and two outs, Bianca Pappacoda sent a grounder down the third base line and beat out the throw to first, scoring Driscoll, and Alessandra Milardo was able to come around and score from second when that throw went wide, putting the Blue Jays ahead 5-3.

The Blue Jays added to their lead in the fourth as Russo singled, Driscoll doubled, and Milardo drove in Russo with her own double. After a bunt single by Skoly loaded the bases, Frankie Ferrante's ground ball to second base was deep enough to score Driscoll, extending the visitors' lead to 7-3.

With two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning, Erin Murphy (Bedford, N.H.) drew a walk, advanced to second on a single by Morgan LeBaron (Rehoboth, Mass.), and scored on a single by Papadopoulos. However, the Blue Jays would strike again in the sixth on a single by Skoly that scored Anna Hendrickson, with Ashlee White coming home on a Pride error. Another error by Regis in the seventh accounted for St. Joseph's final run of the game.

Natalie Amato pitched a complete game for the Blue Jays, allowing 11 hits, three walks and four runs while striking out eight batters. Madi McLellan (Fremont, N.H.) started for the Pride and took the loss after giving up seven earned runs in 5 1/3 innings of work, with Keira Columbus (Fitchburg, Mass.) pitching the final 1 2/3 innings in relief.

Petillo, Grimard, and Papadopoulos each earned two hits as Regis finished with 11 hits, but left nine runners on base in the game. Russo and Driscoll led the Blue Jays with three hits, two runs, and one RBI apiece.

Regis (3-17, 0-4 GNAC) steps out of conference for a home doubleheader against Wentworth Wednesday, April 10, starting at 5 p.m. St. Joseph also hosts a non-conference opponent Wednesday, facing Pine Manor in a 3 p.m. doubleheader.