Jays Advance in Softball Tourney

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – University of St. Joseph freshman Patti Sciglimpaglia (Norwalk, Conn.) struck out six in a complete game and drove in two runs to lead the third-seeded Blue Jays to a 6-2 victory over No. 7 River Friday in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference softball tournament at St. Joseph.

The Blue Jays (32-10), who are hosting the four-team double-elimination tournament, will face St. Joseph's College of Maine (31-9) in the winner's bracket final Saturday at noon. No. 4 St. Joseph's College defeated No. 8 Suffolk, 3-0 in Friday's first game.

Rivier (16-20) and Suffolk (14-24) will start Saturday's action at noon in Tournament Game #7 with the loser being eliminated. The winner of Game #8 between USJ and St. Joseph's College advances to Sunday's noon championship game. The loser of Game #8, however, will face the winner of Game #7 in a 2 p.m. elimination game, with the winner advancing to Sunday's final.

USJ scored two first-inning runs and never trailed Friday. Haley McCall (Lebanon, Conn.) walked and Stephanie Valerio (Wolcott, Conn.) had a bunt single. Emily Hummel (Hebron, Conn.) then had a single down the left field line to score McCall and put USJ up, 1-0. Valerio scored a ground out by Patti Sciglimpaglia.

The lead grew to 3-0 in the third inning when McCall had a leadoff double and scored on a two-out single to left by Ashley Gall (Stafford Springs, Conn.)

Rivier cut its deficit to 3-2 in the top of the fifth inning. Danielle Worthington (Uxbridge, Mass.) walked and Sahara Brown (Barnstead, N.H.) singled. With one out, Lia Bobek (Hollis, N.H.) reached on a fielder's choice to put runners and first and third. Nicole Peacock (Warwick, R.I.) then doubled home two runs for a 3-2 score. Peacock went to third on a wild pitch and USJ intentionally walked Rivier catcher Marissa Mercier (N. Smithfield, R.I.) As Mercier took first, Rivier tried to sneak Peacock home, but Patti Sciglimpaglia threw to sister Mary Sciglimpaglia at the plate to nip Peacock and end the rally.

USJ gained some breathing room in the bottom of the fifth as McCall hit her first collegiate home run, which cleared the fence in left field. Valerio singled and scored on a two-out double from Patti Sciglimpaglia. USJ scored in the sixth when Emily Vigue (Lebanon, Conn.) doubled and Hilary LaRosa (Meriden, Conn.) drove in pinch-runner Sarah Miller (Southington, Conn.) with a sacrifice fly.

Sciglimpaglia (14-5, 2.54 ERA) allowed three hits and one walk in her 12th complete game of the season. McCall, Valerio and Hummel each had two hits for USJ.

St. Joseph's Maine 3, Suffolk 0: Kayla Vannah (Woldoboro, Me.) allowed three hits, walked none and struck out seven to lead the Monks to a victory in Friday's opener. SJC scored single runs in the first, third and fourth innings. Danyell Shufelt (Sutton, Verm.) singled for the Monks in the first and eventually came around on an RBI-single from Heather Tripp (Lowell, Me.) Lindsay Moore (Barrington, N.H.) homered in the third and Kim Jordan (Bangor, Me.) tripled in the fourth and scored on an infield single by Victoria Ramos (N. Scituate, Verm.)