Softball Drops GNAC Doubleheader at Rivier Saturday

NASHUA, N.H. – The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) softball team saw a ten-game winning streak snapped after dropping a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) cross-division doubleheader on the road at Rivier University (Rivier) Saturday afternoon at Raider Diamond in Nashua, N.H. Rivier won the opening game, 6-4, before narrowly completing the sweep with a 2-1 victory in the finale. With the results, the Blue Jays drop to 17-12 overall and 8-4 in GNAC play, while the Raiders improved to 14-12 on the year and 6-2 in conference action.

GAME ONE: RIVIER 6, USJ 4

HOW IT HAPPENED

• USJ struck first in the opening frame, as senior Alyssa Roberts (Naugatuck, Conn.) recorded a two-out RBI single, establishing a quick 1-0 lead.
• Two batters later, junior infielder Emma Carpenter (Brooklyn, Conn.) notched an RBI single through the left side, increasing the lead to 2-0 after the top of the first.
• However, Rivier immediately fired back, scoring three runs in the bottom half of the inning, taking the advantage, 3-2.
• The Raiders tacked on two runs in the bottom of the third, increasing the deficit to 5-2.
• Freshman outfielder Gabby Marichal (Lynn, Mass.) pulled a run back for USJ in the top of the fifth, hitting a ball deep enough into the infielder to plate sophomore infielder Jennifer Antonowicz (Wolcott, Conn.) and cut the gap to two, 5-3.
• Rivier answered in the bottom of the sixth, scoring a run to reestablish a three-run cushion, 6-3, entering the top of the seventh.
• The Blue Jays would try and mount a comeback, as junior outfielder Kaitlyn Ouellette (Wolcott, Conn.) recorded an RBI off a groundout to the shortstop, but the Raiders secured the final out of the game, preserving the victory, 6-4.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Five different Blue Jays recorded one hit in the opener.
• Antownowicz notched the lone extra-base hit after recording a triple.
• Carpenter and Marichal stole one base each on the day.
• Junior Paige Fekete (Watertown, Conn.) got the start inside the circle, picking up the loss (4-4) after allowing five runs, four of which were earned, off five hits in 3.0 innings of work.
• Sophomore Analise Escarraman (Windham, Conn.) threw the remaining 3.0 innings in relief, allowing one run off three hits.

GAME TWO: RIVIER 2, USJ 1

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Rivier struck first in game two, scoring one run in the bottom of the first to hold a quick 1-0 edge.
• The game then turned into a pitchers duel as Roberts would battle with the Raider's hurler, maintaining the 1-0 score entering the fifth inning.
• The hosts would break the scoring drought, tacking on a run in the bottom of the fifth to extend the gap to 2-0.
• The Blue Jays again tried to mount a late comeback, as junior outfielder Avianna Ibrahim (Colchester, Conn.) hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Carpenter, but the Raiders were able to tag out freshman Lorynes Suriel (Lynn, Mass.) for the final out of the game during the play, securing the win, 2-1, and the doubleheader sweep.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Five different Blue Jays recorded one hit in game two.
• Ibrahim stole the lone base for the Blue Jays.
• Roberts threw a complete game for USJ, picking up the loss (7-4) after allowing two runs off ten hits, while striking out two Raiders.

UP NEXT

The Blue Jays step out of non-conference play for a home doubleheader against John Jay College on Tuesday, April 22. First pitch of game one against the Bloodhounds at the USJ Softball Field in West Hartford, Conn., is slated for 3:00 p.m.

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