The Albertus Magnus softball team swept Norwich University on Saturday afternoon in snowy New Haven, Conn. The Falcons used a 14-3 victory in five innings to secure their fifth win of the season before coming-from-behind in the second game of the doubleheader to defeat the Cadets 10-9.
Gillian Fortier (Naugatuck, Conn.) combined for four RBI, six runs scored, and a 6-for-7 performance on the afternoon for the Falcons. Carli Matrisian (Milford, Conn.) added three hits and four RBI, while Daysia Wehder (Queens, N.Y.) went 2-for-3 with three RBI in game one.
In game one of the afternoon doubleheader, the Falcons registered 14 runs on 10 hits led by three hits from Fortier and a home run by junior Alyssa Puccilli (Milford, Conn.). The Falcons plated seven runs in the first inning thanks to three hits and a Cadet throwing error.
The Falcons then added a run in the second on a Matrisian RBI single to center before tallying six mores runs in the third as Fortier knocked in two runs with a base hit before both Matrisian and Wehder recorded RBI hits.
Norwich scored three runs in the top of the third inning to make the score 8-3 but the Falcons' six-run bottom half of the frame secured the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) victory.
Samantha Maselli (Rockville Centre, N.Y.) took the game one win to improve to 4-3 on the year as she threw the complete five innings, allowing three runs on four hits and five walked batters. She also struck out four.
Norwich's Taylor Morris fell to 2-3 on the year as she gave up 12 earned runs on 10 hits and five walked batters.
Brittney Urciuoli (Newington, Conn.) added a 2-for-3 performance with two runs scored in the contest.
In game two of the day, Albertus led 3-1 after two innings thanks to RBI hits from Fortier and Matrisian in the first and Urciuoli in the second. Norwich scored four runs in the top of the third to take a 5-3 lead led by a two-RBI triple from Melissa Rome and two other hits by the Cadets.
The Falcons chipped away at the Norwich lead, scoring one in the bottom of the frame as Puccilli forced a walk with the bases loaded.
After Norwich plated three more runs in the fourth to take a 8-4 lead, the Falcons rallied to score six runs in the frame. Melissa Castillo (Taftville, Conn.) registered a sacrifice fly out to left to plate the first run of the inning before Brianna Whitfield (West Islip, N.Y.) singled in two more runs before scoring herself thanks to a throwing error by the Cadets' outfield.
The game's eventually game-winning run was scored by Puccilli in the fourth inning. After Kirsten McGinty (East Lyme, Conn.) registered a pinch hit triple, Puccilli was hit by a pitch to put runners on the corners. Wehder came into the game to pinch hit for Brianna Spadacenta (East Haven, Conn.) and drew a two-out walk to load the bases. Urciuoli, who earned a second at-bat in the frame, reached on a Norwich error, which allowed both McGinty and Puccilli score as the Falcons took a 10-8 lead.
A home run by Norwich's Jordan Day in the fifth cut the Falcons' lead to one but Albertus was able to retire eight of the final nine batters to hold on to the victory.
Shyleen Ortiz (New Britain, Conn.) earned the nod for today's start but left the game after three innings after getting hit by a pitch. Ortiz gave up five runs on seven hits. Megan Ferraro (Branford, Conn.) earned the win for the Falcons as she threw four innings, allowing four runs on six hits, while striking out six batters. Ferraro is now 2-1 on the year.
Corinne Baita took the loss to fall to 1-4 overall for Norwich.
Albertus is now 7-7 on the year and 3-1 in GNAC play. The Falcons will host Suffolk on Sunday afternoon beginning at noon. Norwich is now 3-9 overall and 1-3 in league action.
