Softball’s Offense Explodes, Berube Shines in GNAC North Sweep of Norwich

NORTHFIELD, Vt. – Behind 12 solid innings from first-year pitcher Hailey Berube and a solid day at the plate for several batters which resulted in 23 runs, the Rivier softball team cruised to a sweep over Norwich on the road in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) North Division action on Thursday evening.

After winning 12-0 in five innings in game one, the Raiders won game two by a final score of 11-6 to improve to 14-14 (7-5 GNAC). The Cadets fell to 4-22 (2-12 GNAC) with the pair of losses.

Rivier heads down to New London, Conn. for its final road trip on Saturday, April 27. The Raiders will face off against cross-divisional opponent, Mitchell, in a doubleheader set to begin at noon.

Rivier 12, Norwich 0 (5 inn.)

The Raiders got out to a 4-0 lead after the first inning, with four separate players recording an RBI.

The visitors' lead was increased to seven after the second, with Kylee Caetano, Olivia Couto, and Kayla Miles each registering their second runs batted in of the contest.

Riv added five more runs in the fifth to jump above the 10-run minimum before Hailey Berube got through the bottom half facing just four batters to secure the win, her second straight complete-game shutout.

Caetano went 3-for-4 with four RBI while Couto went 3-for-4 with three RBI of her own.

Berube threw five innings of six-hit, no-runs, one-walk ball while striking out two Cadets in her eighth victory of the campaign.

Rivier 11, Norwich 6

After getting on the board first in the top of the first on an RBI triple off the bat of Olivia Couto, Norwich scored three runs in the bottom half to take a two-run lead.

The Raiders tied the contest at 3-3 in the top of the third thanks to RBI base knocks off the bats of Kyleigh Burtsell and Kayla Miles.

Over the next two innings, Rivier took the lead back and advanced it to 9-3, leading by six runs. Despite three runs over the last three innings from the Cadets, a Burtsell two-RBI double in the top of the seventh added some insurance as the Raiders pulled away for the sweep.

Burtsell raked in game two, going 4-for-5 with five RBI and a walk. Couto also finished 4-for-5 at the plate with two RBI.

Hailey Berube earned her third win in as many games, tossing seven innings, allowing six runs with only four of them earned, and a walk while sitting down three batters by way of the K.