New Haven, Conn. – The Albertus Magnus College softball team split a non-conference doubleheader at Celentano Field versus regional foe Mount Saint Vincent on Monday afternoon. The visiting Dolphins took the opener, 9-3, and the Falcons answered with a 7-2 triumph in game two.
With the split AMC moves to 9-3 overall, while CMSV now sits at 4-8 on the spring.
In game one, Mount St. Vincent jumped out to an early 6-0 lead thanks to plating three runs in both the second and third innings. In the opener, the two squads combined for 25 hits. Albertus Magnus answered with two runs in the home half of the third to cut the deficit to three at 6-2. During the frame, junior infielder Amanda Jessey (East Haven, Conn.) came around to score the first Falcon run from third on a wild pitch. Later in the stanza, sophomore Melissa Castillo (Taftville, Conn.) lined an RBI single to center.
The Dolphins added an insurance run in the fourth and plated two more in the seventh courtesy of a two-run single to right center by sophomore Abigail Weaver. The Falcons closed the scoring in the home half of the seventh thanks to an RBI single to left center by sophomore Gillian Fortier (Naugatuck, Conn.).
In the circle, AMC freshman Kristen Cunning (Hoboken, N.J.) was saddled with the loss. Cunning worked the first two innings and surrendered five earned runs. In relief of Cunning, sophomore Samantha Maselli (East Haven, Conn.) and freshman Shayla Gladden (Springfield, Mass.) tossed the final five innings. On the opposite side, sophomore Rachel Heizer tossed a complete game and struck out three hitters to earn her second win of the spring for the Dolphins.
In the nightcap, Albertus Magnus sophomore pitcher Megan Ferraro (Branford, Conn.) tossed a complete game and scattered six hits to earn her team-leading fifth win of the season. Ferraro allowed just one earned run over seven innings, while striking out three batters. She retired the side in order in the top of the seventh and Ferraro put out the last five hitters she faced.
Offensively, Fortier and sophomore Kirsten McGinty (East Lyme, Conn.) led the charge for the Falcons with three hits and one RBI apiece.
After allowing one unearned run in the top of the first, the hosts answered with four runs in the bottom half of the frame. During the inning, AMC scored two runs on wild pitches sandwiched around an RBI single by Fortier and a run-scoring triple to deep center by Castillo.
In the second inning, Albertus Magnus added to their lead courtesy of RBI singles to center by McGinty and freshman outfielder Maxine Sanchez (Corona, N.Y.). The Falcons closed out their scoring in bottom of the third thanks to a lead-off inside-the-park home run to right field by junior Megan Kelly (Bronx, N.Y.). On her 21st birthday, Kelly registered her first collegiate homer.
Albertus Magnus returns to action on Saturday, April 2, with a road Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) doubleheader versus Saint Joseph's (Maine) that gets underway at noon. The series between the Monks and Falcons will serve as the conference opener for each squad.
For the latest information on the softball team and Albertus Magnus athletics, follow AMCAthletics on Twitter and visit AlbertusFalcons.com.
