Myrtle Beach, S.C. – The Albertus Magnus College softball team brought an end to its spring trip to the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic in Myrtle Beach, S.C., with wins over both Penn St. Abington and Cairn University on Friday.
THE BASICS
FINAL: Albertus Magnus 11 | Penn St. Abington 2 – 5 innings
RECORDS: Albertus (5-4) | Penn St. Abington (2-5)
BOX SCORE
HOW IT HAPPENED
Albertus got on the board early in the game when Jess Stettinger (East Haven, Conn.) singled and promptly stole second to lead off the first inning. Laura Anderson (East Haven, Conn.) followed with an RBI-double, putting the Falcons up 1-0.
Penn State roared right back in the bottom of the first, hanging a two-spot on the board. A pair of singles and a fielder's choice loaded the bases for Shayna Cuiffitelli, who promptly slapped a two-RBI single.
The Falcons were unable to capitalize on a pair of hits from Kayla Resto (Shelton, Conn.) and Stettigner in the second. In the pitching circle, Resto shut the Lions down in the bottom half of the frame to preserve the 2-1 score heading to the third.
Albertus exploded in the third inning, scoring eight runs. Ava Gladwin (Guilford, Conn.) started the hit parade with a long single, before Anderson smoked an RBI-double to score her from first. Ivy Geloso (Beacon Falls, Conn.) ripped her own double to score Anderson, before a pair of singles from Peyton Davis (North Haven, Conn.) and Karissa Kerrs (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) sent her home. Kerrs swiped second base easily, putting runners on second and third with one out, before Resto drove a pitch to the wall for a two-RBI double. A wild pitch and an error by the Lions' catcher scored Resto for the Falcons' sixth run of the inning. With the bags empty, Brianna Saldivar (Middletown, Conn.) was hit by the pitch, bringing Stettinger to the plate. Stettinger didn't waste a second, smashing a Lions' pitch over the wall for a two-run home run and giving the Falcons a 9-2 lead.
Resto slammed the door on the Lions' in the bottom of the third, throwing a scoreless three-up, three-down inning. The Falcons picked up where they left off in the fourth, widening the margin with two additional runs. Geloso led off with a single, before Cassie Couture (Waterbury, Conn.) pinch-ran for her. A pair of walks to Davis and Kerrs loaded the bases for the Falcons with no outs. The Lions' got two quick outs with a Resto pop-out to third base and a Saldivar fielder's choice that saw Couture nailed at the plate for the second out. With the bases still loaded, Stettinger stepped to the plate and whacked a frozen rope into the outfield gap for a two-RBI double, bringing the Falcons' lead to 11-2 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning.
With one out in the bottom of the inning, the Lions' Maddy Duffy singled and advanced to third on a pair of passed balls. Resto induced a fly-out from Stephanie Andreolli for the second out, before Stettinger pounced on a bunt from Mary Kate Smith and nailed her at first to end the inning.
The fifth inning was anti-climactic, as both teams went down 1-2-3, and the Falcons preserved the 11-2 victory.
KEY STATS
• Stettinger went 4-for-4 at the plate, with a double, a home run, four RBI's, two runs scored, and a stolen base.
• Anderson went 3-for-4 with three doubles, two RBI's, and a run scored.
• Resto went 2-for-3 with a double, two RBI's, and a run scored.
• On the mound, Resto went the distance, throwing five innings, while permitting just two runs on six hits.
• Geloso had a two-hit day with a double, an RBI, and a run scored.
• Kerrs went 1-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored.
NOTEWORTHY
• This was the Falcons' first-ever game against Penn St. Abington. They are 1-0 all-time.
• Stettinger tallied her fifth multi-hit game of the season.
• Resto picked up her first-career win on the mound.
• Couture made her first appearance of the season as a pinch-runner.
• The Falcons are 3-2 this season when trailing after the first inning.
THE BASICS
FINAL: Albertus Magnus 7 | Cairn 0 – 6 innings
RECORDS: Albertus (6-4) | Cairn
BOX SCORE
HOW IT HAPPENED
Laura Anderson carried the Falcons in the second tilt. In her first pitching appearance of the year, Anderson threw a complete game, one-hit shutout, striking out four in the process. The Highlanders were held hitless until the fifth inning, when Hailey Wruck singled with two outs. Through the first four-and-a-half frames, Anderson retired 12 straight hitters, giving up a walk in the first and a hit by pitch and single in the fifth. Over the final two innings of the game, Anderson went six-up, six-down, inducing four groundouts and striking out Grace Hardesty to finish the game.
Anderson also started the Falcons hit parade in the first inning. A pair of walks to Janelle Franklin (Middletown, Conn.) and Madison LaBossiere (Griswold, Conn.) put two on for Anderson, who promptly ripped an RBI-single, scoring Franklin from second. Kayla Gosselin (Milford, Conn.) followed with her own single, plating LaBossiere and sending Anderson to third. Angelina Ramada (North Branford, Conn.) drove in Anderson with an RBI-groundout to short, increasing the Falcon lead to 3-0 after the first.
With one out in the second inning, the Falcon machine went back to work. Megan Anderson (Levittown, New York) reached first on a fielding error, before Franklin slashed a sharp single, putting runners on first and second. A sacrifice bunt from LaBossiere moved both runners up a bag for Laura Anderson, who smacked her second hit of the day and scored both runners, giving the Falcons a 5-0 advantage.
With two outs in the third, Mikayla Lyston (Medford, New York) worked a walk. Summer Bartnick (Seaford, New York) followed and whacked a hard single to advance her and put runners on first and second for Megan Anderson. Anderson took advantage of the opportunity and stroked her first hit of the day, an RBI-single, giving the Falcons a 6-0 lead, heading into the fourth.
The Falcons were unable to score in the fourth, despite a pair of singles from Gosselin and Ramada. In the fifth, a Megan Anderson walk and Franklin single put runners on the corners with two outs. A Highlander error allowed Anderson to score from third, before the Highlanders' retired Laura Anderson to end the inning. With one out in the sixth, Ramada garnered her second hit of the game for Albertus, but was stranded when Cairn retired the next two Falcons to end the inning.
KEY STATS
• Laura Anderson went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and a run scored.
• Gosselin went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
• The Falcons played flawless defense, committing no errors.
• Five different players-LaBossiere, L. Anderson, Gosselin, Ramada, M. Anderson-tallied at least one RBI.
• The Falcons out-hit and out-walked the Highlanders, 10-1 and 4-1, respectively.
• Two different Falcons-M. Anderson and Franklin-each scored two runs.
NOTEWORTHY
• Four different Falcons recorded multi-hit games.
• L. Anderson threw her thirteenth career shutout from the circle.
• The Falcons are 2-0 all-time against Cairn.
• Bartnick smacked her first career hit.
