NEW HAVEN, Conn. - The Albertus Magnus College softball team continued to roll on Sunday, extending its win streak to 16 games with a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) doubleheader sweep of Regis (Mass.) College at the Shea Softball Complex. The Falcons won game one by an 8-0 final score in five innings before taking game two, 7-1.
In the last four games, the Falcons have outscored their opponents, 28-2, and have outscored their opponents, 131-18, during their program-record 16-game winning streak. During this run, the Albertus hurlers have also combined for seven shutouts, including today's five-inning shutout against the Pride.
THE BASICS
FINAL (G1): Albertus Magnus 8 | Regis (Mass.) 0 - 5 innings
FINAL (G2): Albertus Magnus 7 | Regis (Mass.) 1
RECORDS: Albertus Magnus (20-6, 6-0 GNAC) | Regis (Mass.) (5-14, 2-4 GNAC)
LOCATION: Shea Softball Field
HOW IT HAPPENED - Game 1
The Pride went down in order in the top of the first inning, as Erin Dighello (Wallingford, Conn. ) threw a perfect three-up, three-down inning. Ivy Geloso (Beacon Falls, Conn.) led off the bottom of the first for the Falcons and rifled a lead-off single through the left side of the infield off of Regis (Mass.) starter Alyssa Ward. A Peyton Davis (North Haven, Conn.) walk put two on with one out for the Falcons, but Ward slammed the door on the early rally forcing a groundout and a caught stealing.
The Falcons broke through in the second inning scoring one run off of Ward to take the early 1-0 lead. Jess Stettinger (East Haven, Conn.) reached on a Pride error to lead off the frame before Angelina Ramada (North Branford, Conn.) singled into the right-center field gap to put runners on the corners with one out. An Ava Gladwin (Guilford, Conn.) sacrifice fly into center field scored Stettinger from third for the first run of the game.
The Falcons threatened again in the bottom of the third, putting two on with one out, as Geloso and Davis both roped singles. A Kayla Resto (Shelton, Conn.) sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third with two outs, but Ward induced a ground out from Stettinger to end the inning.
Albertus continued to swing the bat in the bottom of the fourth as the Falcons scored an additional two runs to extend their lead to 3-0. LaBossiere kicked off the frame with a deep single, but Ward forced a fly out to right, giving the Falcons the first out of the inning and an out on the scoreboard. LaBossiere managed to swipe second base before finding herself crossing home following a double from Gladwin. A sacrifice bunt from Fatima Rosales (East Elmhurst, N.Y.) moved Gladwin to third for Geloso, who promptly drove a fastball the other way into the left-field gap to score Geloso.
The blue-and-white put the game away in the bottom of the fifth by scoring the final five runs needed to induce the eight-run mercy rule. The inning was highlighted by a two-run homer from Stettinger, her third of the season, an RBI triple from Ramada, and back-to-back errors from the Pride.
Dighello had a spectacular day in the circle for the Falcons, tossing five scoreless innings, while striking out five and scattering five hits, to pick up her 11th win of the season.
TOP PERFORMERS
- WP: Erin Dighello (W, 11-3) - 5.0 innings | 5 Hits | 0 Runs | 0 Walks | 5 Strikeouts
LP: Alyssa Ward (L, 1-6) - 4.0 innings | 8 Hits | 3 Runs | 1 Walk | 1 Strikeout - Geloso collected three hits and an RBI.
- LaBossiere had two hits and two runs scored.
- Ramada had two hits, including a triple, with an RBI and a run scored.
- Gladwin had a double, a walk, two runs scored, and two RBIs.
- Stettinger hit her team-leading third home run of the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED - Game 2
Skylar Arent (New Fairfield, Conn.) started in the circle for the Falcons in game two and wasted no time, leading off the game with a strikeout and setting the visitors down in order in the top of the first inning. However, an inning later, Regis (Mass.) managed to score its first run of the game behind a two-out, RBI single from Chloe Beland to take the early lead over the Falcons.
The blue-and-white countered the Pride's solo run in the top of the second by scoring six runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning to take their first lead of game two, 6-1. Resto started off the inning with a hit-by-pitch followed by back-to-back singles to the outfield from Erin Molkenthin (East Haddam, Conn.) and Brianna Saldivar (Middletown, Conn.). Karissa Kerrs (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) kept the momentum going with another single to the outfield, allowing Resto to score and setting up Geloso for a bases-clearing double to left-center. Gladwin brought in another run with a double to left-center before scoring herself three at-bats later on an error by the catcher.
Albertus added to its lead in the bottom of the third, going ahead 7-1 through three. With one out, Kerrs slammed a double to left. After getting bumped over following a fly-out, Kerrs scored on an error by the opposing first baseman.
With a six-run lead, the Falcons' pitching did not look back. AMC's hurlers did not allow a run over the final five innings to secure the GNAC sweep. Arent tossed 4.0 innings of one-run ball, while Ema Signore (Guilford, Conn.) threw 3.0 innings of scoreless relief.
TOP PERFORMERS
- WP: Skylar Arent (W, 8-2 ) - 4.0 Innings | 4 Hits | 1 Run | 1 Walk | 1 Strikeout
- LP: Kate McGrath (L, 2-5) - 4.0 innings | 9 Hits | 7 Runs | 3 Walk2 | 3 Strikeouts
- Saldivar had two hits and a run scored for the Falcons.
- Geloso went 2-for-4 with a double, a run scored, and three RBI's.
- Gladwin was 1-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI.
- Kerrs was 2-for-3 with a double, two runs scored, and an RBI.
NOTEWORTHY
- With today's doubleheader sweep, the Falcons are 7-0 all-time against Regis (Mass.).
- Geloso is on a four-game hitting streak and is currently batting .733 (11-for-15) during that stretch.
- Gladwin is also on a four-game hitting streak and is hitting .500 (4-for-8) with two walks, a double, five runs scored, and five RBI's.
- Dighello has won her last nine decisions in the circle.
- Arent picked up her eighth win of the season.
- Signore earned her third save of the season in game two.
UP NEXT
The Falcons return to the diamond on Tuesday, April 12th for a home doubleheader match-up with the Blazers of Elms College. Game times are set for 3PM and 5PM at the Shea Softball Field.
