NORTHFIELD, VT. - The Albertus Magnus softball team improved to 8-2 in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play as the Falcons took home a pair of wins against the Cadets of Norwich University. The Falcons shut out the Cadets in each game, securing the win in game one by 11-0, and 2-0 in game two.

Grad student Erin Dighello (Wallingford, Conn.) picked up the "W" in game one as the right handed hurler allowed just four hits, while striking out a season-high six batters over three innings of work. 

Ema Signore (Guilford, Conn.) came in to relieve Dighello in the bottom of the fourth and allowed just one hit and one walk over the final two innings. 

Freshman pitcher Annabelle Jabs (East Hartland, Conn.) threw a complete shutout in game two, allowing just four hits in seven innings pitched while striking out six.

THE BASICS
FINAL (G1): Albertus Magnus 11 | Norwich 0 - 5 innings
FINAL (G2): Albertus Magnus 2 | Norwich 0
RECORDS: Albertus Magnus (16-14, 8-2 GNAC) | Norwich (1-19, 0-8 GNAC) 
BOX SCORE 1 | BOX SCORE 2

KEY HIGHLIGHTS - Game 1

• Albertus kicked off game one scoring one-run in the top of the first behind a RBI double to left center from Anna Leone (Shelton, Conn.) to take the early lead over the Cadets.
• Norwich countered the Falcons' one-run inning by putting runners on second and third, but Dighello forced the strikeout to end the threat and send both teams to the top of the second.
• Albertus kept swinging the bat as the Falcons scored six runs on five hits and a Cadet error to increase its lead to 7-0.
• The second inning was highlighted by a two-run single from Amanda Savinelli (New Haven, Conn.), a RBI single from Breanna Saldivar (Middletown, Conn.), and a sacrifice fly from Leone.
• The Falcons put the game out of reach for the Cadets as the blue-and-white scored an additional four runs in the top of the fourth behind a two-run single from Savinelli and a single from Angelina Ramada (North Branford, Conn.). 

IN THE CIRCLE

WP: Erin Dighello (W, 5-4) - 3.0 IP | 4 H | 0 R | 0 ER | 0 BB | 6 SO | 0 HR
LP: Kennedy White (L, 0-4) - 3.0 IP | 10 H | 7 R | 3 ER | 4 BB | 2 SO | 0 HR

AT THE PLATE

• Savinelli and Ramada led the offensive attack with three hits apiece.
• Savinelli also led the team in RBI with four.
• Saldivar finished with two hits.
• Leone, Peyton Davis (North Haven, Conn.), Isabelle Smith (Meriden, Conn.), Ava Gladwin (Guilford, Conn.), and Karissa Kerrs (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) also tallied a hit in the victory. 

KEY HIGHLIGHTS - Game 2

• Jabs kept the Cadets at bay after forcing a 1-2-3 inning in the first and second inning, respectively.
• In the top of the fourth inning, Davis led off the inning with a single to center field to set the scene. With two outs occurring after the next two at-bats, Davis found herself on second base after a wild pitch. Then, Erin Molkenthin (East Haddam, Conn.) singled to put runners on the corners.
• The Falcons were able to score during the next at-bat when Fatima Rosales (East Elmhurst, N.Y.) was able to reach first base on an error by the Cadets' shortstop, allowing Davis and Molkenthin to put the Falcons up 2-0.
• The Falcons found themselves in another scoring opportunity with the bases loaded in the top of the fifth inning with two outs, but Albertus' offense was unable to find a hit and left runners stranded.
• The Cadets entered dangerous territory in the bottom of the fifth with runners loading the bases. The Falcons' defense supremely navigated the inning to disallow the Cadets from scoring.
• With either team unable to score for the remainder of the game, the Falcons took game two with a 2-0 scoreline. 

IN THE CIRCLE

WP: Annabelle Jabs (W, 3-3) - 7.0 IP | 4 H | 1 BB | 6 SO 
LP: Maren McGinn (L, 0-8) - 7.0 IP | 8 H | 2 R | 1 BB | 7 SO

AT THE PLATE

• Davis led the Falcons with three hits, while Franklin tallied two.
• Three additional Falcons registered a hit: Colleen Edwards (Clinton, Conn.), Rosales and Molkenthin.

UP NEXT
The softball team returns to the diamond on Sunday, April 16th, with a doubleheader at home against the Lasers of Lasell University. Game times are set for 12 p.m. and 2 p.m at Shea Softball Complex.