West Hartford, Conn. – The Albertus Magnus College softball team split a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) doubleheader versus in-state rival St. Joseph (Conn.) on Wednesday afternoon at the University of Saint Joseph Athletic Complex Softball Field. The host Bluejays took the opener, 3-1, and the visiting Falcons scored a 11-7 triumph in the second tilt.

With their fifth GNAC doubleheader split of the spring, the Falcons move to 20-12 on the year and 11-9 in conference play, while the Bluejays enter the final weekend of the regular season with a 24-10 overall record and a 14-6 mark in leauge contests.

Game One
The hosts jumped on AMC freshman starting pitcher Kristen Cunning (Hoboken, N.J.) for two runs in the home half of the first and added an insurance run in the third. USJ pitcher Patti Sciglimpaglia tossed a complete game and scattered just three hits to earn her 15th win of the spring. Sciglimpaglia kept the Falcon hitters off balance throughout the game and fanned eight batters.

In the bottom of the first, Sciglimpaglia helped herself out with a two-run homer to center to give the Bluejays a 2-0 lead. In the top of the second, Albertus Magnus cut the deficit in half as freshman outfielder Maxine Sanchez (Corona, N.Y.) came around to score on an infield error.

An inning later, St. Joseph capped the scoring in the contest as Mary Sciglimpaglia laced an RBI single down the left-field line. The Falcons threatened in the sixth, placing the tying run on first base courtesy of a free pass, but Siglimpaglia was able to get out of the jam with a strike out.

Albertus Magnus sophomore infielder Gillian Fortier (Naugatuck, Conn.) reached base four times in the contest depsite not registering an at-bat. She was hit by two pitches and worked two walks at the plate. Three other Falcons registered one hit apiece in the setback.

Game Two
The two conference foes slugged it out in the finale, combining for 25 hits and 18 runs. The Falcons earned a GNAC doubleheader split for the third series in a row.

Offensively, senior Alyssa Puccilli (Milford, Conn.) paced the Albertus Magnus attack with four hits and a season-high five RBIs. Falcon sophomore Melissa Castillo (Taftville, Conn.) added two RBIs and classmate Daysia Wehder (Queens, N.Y.) recorded two hits and added an RBI.

In the circle, AMC sophomore Megan Ferraro (Branford, Conn.) went the distance to earn her 12th win of the season.  

Fortier once again reached base safely in every at-bat she had in the contest, going 1-for-1 at the dish with two walks and she was hit by two pitches. On the day, she went 1-for-1 with four walks and four hit by pitches.

Albertus Magnus closes out the 2016 regular season on Saturday, April 30, with a home conference doubleheader versus Emmanuel that is slated to get underway at noon. Last spring, the Falcons topped the Saints three times, sweeping a doubleheader on the road in the regular season before eliminating Emmanuel in the opening round of the GNAC Tournament.

For the latest information on the softball team and Albertus Magnus athletics, follow AMCAthletics on Twitter and visit AlbertusFalcons.com.