BOSTON, Mass. - The fourth-seeded Albertus Magus College softball team came up short on the road, 2-1, to top-seeded Emmanuel (Mass.) College Thursday evening in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Semifinal matchup at Roberto Clemente Field.
The Falcons close out the spring campaign with an overall record of 12-6, while the Saints improve to 18-4 and advance to the GNAC Championship game on Saturday, May 8. The Saints will face the second-seeded Wildcats of Johnson & Wales University in a best 2-out-of-3 series.
THE BASICS
FINAL: Emmanuel (Mass.) 2 | Albertus Magnus 1
ALL-TIME: This is the 37th all-time meeting between the Falcons and the Saints.
RECORDS: Albertus Magnus (12-6) | Emmanuel (Mass.) (18-4)
LOCATION: Roberto Clemente Field
BOX SCORE
HOW IT HAPPENED
Both pitchers came out for battle to start the semifinal game. Albertus' Bernadette Kingsbury (Trumbull, Conn.) and Emmanuel's Tianna Dawe combined to throw a perfect first inning, with Kingsbury striking out two in the bottom of the frame.
The second inning was more of the same, as both the Falcons and Saints were befuddled in the batter's box, with the pitchers once again combining to throw a pair of perfect half innings. Kingsbury struck out three straight batters, running her total to five K's over the first two innings.
The Falcons finally put a runner on in the top of the third, when Angelina Ramada (North Branford, Conn.) worked a walk, but the Falcons were unable to capitalize on the opportunity, as a lineout and a fielder's choice stranded the runner on first. The Saints broke through in the bottom half of the inning, sending a runner all the way to third with one out. Kingsbury worked out of the jam by getting a foul out for the second out and doubling up Julyanne Pachecho at third to end the inning.
Albertus put two on in the fourth with one out, following a walk by Janelle Franklin (Middletown, Conn.) and a double to centerfield by Laura Anderson (East Haven, Conn.). However, Saints hurler Dawe and right fielder Renae Lacroix recorded the strikeout and a flyout, respectively, to end the Falcons' rally. Kingsbury got a quick out in the bottom half of the fourth before she was the victim of an unfortunate accident that knocked her from the game and sent L. Anderson to the circle for the Falcons. L. Anderson rallied working out of the jam on the strength of two ground ball outs to keep the game tied at zero.
The Falcons finally got on the board in the top of fifth, scoring one run on two hits. With one out, Ramada launched a single into right field, setting up for Jess Stettinger (East Haven, Conn.), who walked shortly after, putting two on with two outs. Sophomore Karissa Kerrs (Wappingers Falls, NY) then entered as a pinch-runner for Ramada and quickly scored when Franklin roped a line drive RBI-single into left field to give the Falcons the 1-0 lead. The Saints responded in the bottom half of the fifth, tagging L. Anderson for a pair of runs on three hits to take the 2-1 lead, heading into the top half of the sixth.
Despite a trio of walks in the final two innings, and a clean 1-2-3 inning from L. Anderson in the bottom half of the sixth, the Falcons were unable to regain the lead and fell 2-1 to the Saints.
TOP PERFORMERS
- WP: Tianna Dawe (W, 9-2) | LP: Laura Anderson (L, 8-3) | Megan Long (S1)
- Kingsbury allowed only two hits and fanned five batters in 3.1 innings of work.
- L. Anderson finished the game allowing two runs on three hits over 2.2 innings.
- Franklin finished 2-for-3 at the plate to go along with an RBI.
- L. Anderson also went 1-for-3 at the plate.
- Ramada also registered a hit for the Falcons.
- Avery Webb led the offense with two hits and a run scored, while Lacroix tallied both RBI's for the Saints.
NOTEWORTHY
- Following tonight's loss, Albertus is now 15-22 all-time in postseason play.
- This is the fourth meeting between the Falcons and Saints in the postseason.
- Entering tonight's game, the Falcons were 1-2 in postseason play against the Saints.
- The Falcons and Saints are now tied 2-2 all-time in the postseason.
- The last time the Falcons were in the GNAC semifinals was back in 2018.
