STANDISH, ME – St. Joe's (12-6, 3-3 GNAC) won both ends of a non-conference twinbill with Southern Maine (2-16), 9-0 and 6-3, at Ward Park on Wednesday afternoon. SJC starting pitcher Kayla Vannah '13 (Waldoboro, ME) allowed one hit in the mercy-rule shortened opener.

GAME ONE

The Monks came out of the gates swinging and scored five runs off four hits and one USM error in the first inning. Right fielder Danyelle Shufelt '13 (Sutton, VT) led off with a single to left and scored when second baseman Connie Grovo '14 (Limington, ME) doubled to center field. Designated hitter Jill Howard '14 (Rochester, NH) plated Grovo with a base hit to center and center fielder Emily Leverone '11 (Hampton, NH), who reached via hit by pitch, crossed the plate on a misplayed ball off the bat of third baseman Heather Tripp '13 (Lovell, ME). Left fielder Katelyn Call '12 (Portland, ME/McAuley) capped the inning with a two-run single to left, allowing Howard and Tripp to score.

St. Joe's tacked on a pair of runs in the bottom of the second when first baseman Alyssa Dunn '11 (Standish, ME) registered a two-run single to left, scoring Leverone and Grovo, to make it a 7-0 game.

The Royal Blue proceeded to score twice with two out in the bottom of the fourth to push the contest between the in-state rivals to mercy-rule status. Caitlin Schrum '12 (Littleton, NH) knocked home Dunn with an infield hit and Tripp scored on a passed ball to extend the Monks' advantage to 9-0.

For St. Joe's, Call went 2-2 with two RBI and Dunn was 2-3 with a run scored and a pair of RBI. Vannah, who walked three and fanned one batter, improved to 1-1 on the year with five innings of one-hit ball.

Huskies starting pitcher Sarah Deroche '11 (Portland, ME/Deering) struck out six and allowed seven earned runs off nine hits and five walks in the loss. Shortstop Anna Allard '13 (Parsonsfield, ME) registered the Huskies' lone hit, a single to left field with two out in the top of the third, in the opener.

GAME TWO

Shufelt led off the nightcap with another single, stole second and eventually scored on a Howard base hit to right to lift the Monks to an early 1-0 lead. Dunn registered an RBI single and shortstop Lindsay Moore '14 (Barrington, NH) drove home a run with a two-bagger in the third inning to stake the Royal Blue to a 3-0 advantage.

The Monks added a pair of runs in the fourth when Schrum scored on a passed ball and Shufelt crossed the plate on a Grovo sac bunt.

The Huskies finally got on the board when Deroche plated Lillian Cooper '14 (Lamoine, ME), who reached on a single to short, in the top of the fifth. Saint Joseph's responded with a run in the bottom of the frame to regain the five-run cushion, 6-1. Catcher Natasha Howard '11 (Farmington, ME) plated Moore, who doubled to left with one out, with a sac fly to right field to cap the Monks' scoring in the closing contest.

USM first baseman Kayla Ferrara '12 (South Portland, ME) belted a deep solo home run to left field in the top of the sixth and Deroche drove home a run in the seventh to close out the game scoring with the Monks on top, 6-3.

For the Monks, Shufelt went 3-4 with two runs, a double, and three stolen bases and Moore was 2-3 with two doubles, a run and an RBI. Starting pitcher Kiera Walsh '11 (Benton, ME) improved to 4-1 on the season after striking out five and allowing one run off six hits and three walks in five innings. Rae-Marie Copan '14 () and Maddie Kluna '12 (Standish, ME) combined to yield two runs off four hits and a walk in two innings of relief.

For the Huskies, Ferrara was 3-3 with a double and a solo homer and Deroche went 3-4 with two doubles and two RBI in a losing effort. Pitcher Morse allowed five earned runs off nine hits and four walks with a pair of K's in six innings.

With the sweep, Saint Joseph's improves to 23-18 in the history of the series with Southern Maine. The Monks have now defeated the Huskies in six consecutive meetings.

St. Joe's will host Emmanuel College in a conference doubleheader on Friday at 3:30 PM. USM hosts Salem State at Wainright Field in South Portland in a non-league twinbill tomorrow at 3:00 PM.