Saints Split With Rivier In GNAC/Home Opener

BOSTON, Mass. – The Emmanuel College Softball Team scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh to top Rivier College, 10-9, in the first game of Sunday's home opening double-header at Roberto Clemente Field. The Raiders stormed back to take the nightcap, 9-0, winning in five innings. With the split, the Saints are now 4-7 on the season and 1-1 in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play, while the Raiders stand at 7-3 overall and 3-1 in the league.

Rivier's rookie shortstop Catherine Roy (Dracut, Mass.) singled and was driven in by senior catcher Amanda Ryan (West Bridgewater, Mass.), as the Raiders struck first to open game one. Emmanuel's freshman shortstop Sierra Roccaro (Parlin, N.J.) then smashed a lead-off double for the Saints. Singles by Chelsey Guselli (Methuen, Mass.), Kristen Landers (Worcester, Mass.) and Heather Hamel (Belchertown, Mass.) led to a 3-run first inning for Emmanuel, as the Saints took a 3-1 edge.

Freshman 3rd baseman Kayla Howard (Belmont, N.H.) singled in the bottom of the second and was knocked home by Guselli, who tallied her second of three hits in the game. Emmanuel led 4-1, before the Raiders scored three runs in the third to tie the contest at 4-all. Roy singled and Ryan reached on a fielder's choice, before sophomore 1st baseman Marissa Mercier (N. Smithfield, R.I.) drove a three-run homer over the fence at Clemente. The Saints regained the lead in the bottom of the inning, when junior catcher Elyse Turgeon (Dracut, Mass.) hit a two-out solo home run, and Emmanuel led, 5-4.

The fourth inning was a scoreless one for both teams, but the Raiders poured on the pressure in the fifth with a four-hit, four-run stand. Ryan homered to tie the game at 5-all. Mercier and Lauren Beatty (Sherman, Conn.) singled and were driven in. Sophomore left-fielder Mandy Thornton (Hanover, Mass.) hit an RBI double and then scored on a passed ball, as the visitors took an 8-5 lead. The Saints then managed to cut their deficit to two runs, when sophomore pitcher Kelly Lloid (Issaquah, Wash.) singled and was driven in by Turgeon in the bottom of the fifth.

Freshman hurler Jennifer Garrity (Lynn, Mass.) replaced Lloid on the mound for the Saints in the top of the sixth, leading to a 1-2-3 inning for Emmanuel. The Saints were held scoreless in the bottom of the inning and the Raiders tacked on one more run in the seventh, when Beatty smashed a two-out solo home run to give Rivier a 9-6 lead.

The Raiders quickly put away the first two Emmanuel batters in the bottom of the seventh, but Howard walked to give the Saints a base-runner and some hope in their final at-bat. Junior 2nd baseman Christina Proulx (Boxborough, Mass.) reached on an error and Howard moved to second. Sophomore Jackie Murray (Saugus, Mass.) came in to pinch run for Howard and was sent home, when Roccaro singled to left center field, as the Saints trailed 9-7.

Freshman left fielder Julia Levins (Uxbridge, Mass.) then hit a two-run single to left, scoring Proulx and Roccaro and knotting the contest at 9-all. Guselli ended the game, when she stepped to the plate and hit a walk off double to centerfield, which scored Levins for the game-winning run and Emmanuel defeated the defending GNAC Champion Raiders, 10-9.

Garrity picked up the win for the Saints and Hillary Tarr (North Easton, Mass.) took the loss for Rivier. Roccaro went 4 for 5 from the plate and Guselli hit 3 for 4 to lead the Saints' offense.

The momentum switched to the visitors in game two, as the Raiders stormed out to a 5-0 lead after three innings gone. Another homer by Beatty kicked off the scoring in the second inning. Third inning singles followed by Britnii Dyer (Douglas, Mass.), Nicole Peacock (Warwick, R.I.) and Ryan, before Beatty hit an RBI single to give the Raiders a 5-run lead. Dyer hit a solo homer in the top of the fourth and the Raiders tacked on three more runs in the fifth to pull away with the 9-0 win, ending the contest in five innings.

With four hits, including two homeruns on the day, Beatty also picked up the shutout win in game two. She faced 17 batters and struck out five, giving up just two runs in a solid outing. Junior pitcher Kathryn Copp (Fremont, N.H.) took the loss for the Saints, striking out 6 of her 22 batters faced.

Emmanuel will return to action at home on Tuesday night, when the Saints host the Leopards of Wentworth Institute of Technology in a single non-conference game, beginning at 6pm. Rivier plays next on March 30th, when the Raiders host a non-conference double-header with Newbury College.