Softball Splits Opening Day of the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic

NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) softball team opened the 2023 season, splitting a pair of games on Saturday in its first day of competition at the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic at the North Myrtle Beach Sports Complex in South Carolina. The Blue Jays took down the Hunter College (Hunter) Hawks in the opener before falling, 10-4, to the Suffolk University (Suffolk) Rams in game two.
 
GAME ONE
Score: USJ 8, Hunter 6
Records: USJ (1-0), RUNW (1-6)
Location: NMB Sports Complex - Field 5 | North Myrtle Beach, S.C.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Hunter got the scoring started early, quickly taking a 2-0 lead after the first inning. USJ wasted little time responding, posting three runs in the top half of the second. Sophomore pitcher Alyssa Roberts (Naugatuck, Conn.) got the inning started with a lead-off double, followed by senior catcher Kelsie LaHouse (Coventry, Conn.) reached on-base after an error by the Hawks second baseman. Sophomore Brianna Catalani (Watertown, Conn.) continued the strong start, ripping a two-RBI double, tying the score at 2-2. Catalani would later come home to score later in the inning, giving the Blue Jays a 3-2 edge.

The Hawks would follow the big USJ inning by posting a run in the bottom half of the second, levelling the game at 3-3. However, the lead would not last long, as the Blue Jays quickly reestablished their lead in the third. Sophomore infielder Jenna Zup (Berlin, Conn.) led off the inning with a triple, allowing senior Liliana Stoddard (Waterford, Conn.) to hit a sacrifice fly, plating Zup and giving USJ a 4-3 advantage. The Blue Jays increased the lead to three, 6-3, as freshman McKenzie Fairfax and junior outfielder Isabel Milardo (Middlefield, Conn.) both came home to score, taking advantage of Hunter's outfielders' decisions, in the top of the fourth. Though, the Hawks would plate one run in the bottom half, cutting the deficit to two, 6-4.

Hunter would add another run in the bottom of the fifth, pulling back within one, 6-5. However, Fairfax would lead off the top of the sixth with a triple, before Milardo brought her home in the next at-bat, reestablishing a two-run USJ lead, 7-5. LaHouse added another insurance run in the top of the seventh, securing the victory in the season opener, 8-6.

IN THE CIRCLE

USJ – Roberts picked up the win (1-0) in her USJ debut, allowing six runs, five of which were earned, off nine hits. She also recorded seven strikeouts in seven innings of work to record the win.

HUNTER – Graduate student T'ea Panagakos (Staten Island, N.Y.) was dealt the loss (1-3), allowing eight runs, six earned, on 11 hits, while striking out three batters in the complete game outing.

GAME TWO
Score: Suffolk 10, USJ 4
Records: Suffolk (1-2), USJ (2-0)
Location: NMB Sports Complex - Field 5 | North Myrtle Beach, S.C.

KEY MOMENTS

The Blue Jays took the early lead in the first inning as senior outfielder Jenna Masiello (Cromwell, Conn.) launched USJ's first homerun of the year. Zup followed up the dinger with a walk, before Stoddard and Fekete loaded the bases in the next two out bats. With two outs, junior first baseman Grace DiMinno (Plainville, Conn.) drew a walk, bringing home Zup and increasing the lead to 2-0. However, the Blue Jays would not take further advantage of the bases loaded scenario.

Suffolk pulled a run back in the bottom of the first, but a Zup double to right in the top of the second, plated Milardo and increased the lead back to two, 3-1. The Rams exploded offensively in the bottom half of the inning, scoring six runs to establish a 7-3 edge. The game would repeat itself in the fourth, as Zup hit another double to the outfield, bringing home Milardo and cutting the gap to 7-4. However, the Rams would add one more run in the fifth, followed by a game sealing run in the sixth to secure the 10-4 victory.

IN THE CIRCLE

USJ – Freshman Paige Fekete (Watertown, Conn.) took the loss (0-1), allowing seven runs on nine hits in 1.2 innings of work. Classmate Tessa D'Aquila (Old Saybrook, Conn.) pitched 3.0 innings of relief, allowing two runs on five hits, striking out two Rams. Freshman Jordyn Fitch (Andover, Conn.) also pitched 1.1 innings out of the pen, allowing one run on one hit, recording one strikeout.

SUFFOLK – Sophomore Ella Turnbull (Murrieta, Calif.) earned the win (1-1), allowing four runs off nine hits, and throwing six strikeouts in 6.0 innings. Classmate Ashlyn Conley (Mansfield, Mass.) pitched 1.0 innings in relief, allowing no runs and two hits.

COACH QUOTE [Jim McKinnon]
"The first games are done and on the whole, I thought we did a good job. Obviously there are things to work on, but we had some good hitting throughout the day and I was pleased with the efforts all the players put in."

UP NEXT
The Blue Jays return to action tomorrow, Sunday, March 12 for day two of the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic. USJ first takes on UMass-Boston at 11:00 a.m. followed by a game against Stevenson at 5:00 p.m.

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