Softball Wins Record 12th In A Row

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The University of Saint Joseph ran its softball winning streak to a school-record 12 games at the Blue Jays swept Mitchell College 12-4 and 5-0 Wednesday in a non-conference doubleheader at St. Joseph.

The Blue Jays improved to 25-9 overall; Mitchell is 7-21. USJ had a previous-best 10-game winning streak from April 8-19, 1999.

USJ junior Ashley Gall (Stafford Springs, Conn.) went 3-for-6 on the day with three RBI and two runs scored. Mary Sciglimpaglia (Norwalk, Conn.) went 3-for-3 in the late game and has had a hit in her last eight consecutive official at bats.

USJ broke a scoreless tie in the first game with three third-inning runs. Haley McCall (Lebanon, Conn.) was hit by a pitch, Stephanie Valerio (Wolcott, Conn.) walked and Emily Hummel (Hebron, Conn.) singled to right to lead the bases. All three runners then moved up McCall scoring on a wild pitch. Gall then delivered a two-run single to left field.

Mitchell then scored four runs in the fourth inning. Chelsea Arpin (Killingly, Conn.) had an RBI-single and Jenny Groman (New Britain, Conn.) a two-run single to highlight the the rally.  

St. Joseph came back in the bottom of the fourth and scored nine runs on seven hits and four errors. Winning pitcher Emily Vigue (Lebanon, Conn.) started the decisive rally with a double and eventually scored on an error. McCall drove home Jocelyn Grady (Meriden, Conn.) with a single to left to make it 5-4. Valerio had an RBI-double and Hummel and Hilary LaRosa (Meriden, Conn.) RBI-singles in the inning.

Vigue (4-1, 2.94 ERA) struck out five and allowed two earned runs in four innings to earn the victory.    

Hummel (11-4, 3.01 ERA) pitched four, two-hit relief innings to earn the second game victory. She struck out six and walked one. Starter Patti Sciglimpaglia (Norwalk, Conn.) allowed four hits and struck out four in three innings.

Mary Sciglimpaglia singled in the second for USJ and eventually scored on a passed ball. In the third, Gall had an RBI-double and Mary Sciglimpaglia an RBI-single. In the fourth, Shauna Sullivan (Rocky Hill, Conn.) and Colleen Ecsedy (Ashford, Conn.) had singles with Sullivan coming home on a ground out by McCall and Ecsedy scoring on a single from Valerio.