Softball Defeats Albertus Magnus in Pod A Finals, Advances to GNAC Championship Series

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The South Division third-seeded University of Saint Joseph (USJ) softball team is headed to the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Championship Series after defeating South Division second-seeded and intrastate rival Albertus Magnus College (AMC), 6-3, in the Pod A Finals Saturday afternoon at the USJ Softball Field.

With the win, the Blue Jays (21-17) will face South Division top-seeded Johnson & Wales University (JWU) in a best-of-three series for the conference title on Friday and Saturday in Providence, R.I. USJ will look to capture its first GNAC Championship since 2019 and the third in program history.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• USJ took the early lead after senior first baseman Alyssa Roberts (Naugatuck, Conn.) slashed a two-RBI single down the right field line to establish a 2-0 USJ lead.
• Two batters later, freshman outfielder Lorynes Suriel (Lynn, Mass.), notched a single to left field, plating sophomore infielder Jennifer Antonowicz (Wolcott, Conn.) to increase the gap to 3-0.
• The Falcons responded in the top half of the second, scoring once before tying the game with two runs in the top half of the fourth inning, knotting the score at 3-3 entering the bottom of the fourth.
• Suriel continued her strong day at the plate, launched an RBI double to straight center field to retake the lead for the Blue Jays, 4-3.
• Junior catcher Allison Conger (Plainfield, Conn.) continued the run parade, laying down a bunt that enabled Suriel to dash home and beat the tag, extending the lead to 5-3.
• Antonowicz capped off the big inning for USJ, notching an RBI-single through the left side, furthering the USJ edge to 6-3.
• Roberts would then enter the game in relief of starter junior Paige Fekete (Watertown, Conn.) to open the fifth inning, surrendering just two hits across the remaining three innings to secure the win for USJ, 6-3.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Suriel paced the team with a 2-for-3 outing at the plate, notching two RBI.
• Roberts also recorded a team-high two RBI.
• Fekete got the start inside the circle and picked up the win (7-6) after allowing three runs off six hits, while tossing one strikeout in 4.0 innings of work.
• Roberts earned her second career save after tossing 3.0 scoreless innings, tallying one punchout.

UP NEXT

The Blue Jays advance to the GNAC Championship Series and will face South Division top-seeded Johnson & Wales University (JWU) in the opening game of a best-of-three series on Friday, May 9. First pitch against the Wildcats at the Scotts Miracle-Gro Athletic Complex in Providence, R.I. is still to be determined.

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