STANDISH, Maine – Saint Joseph's College (8-11, 6-0 GNAC) swept a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) softball doubleheader with Rivier University (5-17, 1-7 GNAC) at Richard W. Bailey Field on Saturday afternoon. The Monks opened with a 4-1 triumph and topped the Raiders, 6-1, in the nightcap.

SAINT JOSEPH'S 4, RIVIER 1

Saint Joseph's kicked off the scoring with two runs off a hit and an error in the bottom of the second, as senior first baseman Melodie Bailey (Lebanon, Maine) walked and later crossed the plate on an infield miscue and junior third baseman Kaylee Burns (Saco, Maine) scored on a Madeline Wood (Madison, Maine) base knock.

Rivier cut the SJC lead in half in the top of the third, when freshman Sara Mainville (Lowell, Mass.) doubled and eventually scored on a Kasey Smith (Hopkinton, N.H.) sac fly to center field.

The Monks closed out the game scoring with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings, as sophomore Megan Eagleston (Reading, Mass.) notched an RBI single in the former and Bailey roped a run-scoring double in the latter to account for the 4-1 final.

IN THE CIRCLE:

SJC junior pitcher Kate Whitney (Jonesboro, Maine) improves to 4-5 on the season after giving up a run on just three hits with a pair of K's in a complete game performance.

Rivier junior Taylor Rowsell (Chelmsford, Mass.) falls to 1-4 after yielding four runs (one earned) off four hits and three walks while fanning four in six innings.

OFF THE BAT:

• Bailey was 1-2 with a run, a double, a stolen base, and an RBI
• Wood went 1-2 with a run
• Eagleston delivered an RBI single in a pinch-hit at-bat in the fifth
• For Rivier, Mainville was 1-3 with a run and a double

SAINT JOSEPH'S 6, RIVIER 1

The nightcap stood at a 1-1 stalemate going into the bottom of the fifth, when the hosts scored four runs off three hits and a Rivier error, as Meghan Elliott (Mendon, Mass.) and Bailey notched an RBI apiece on an infield miscue and a fielder's choice, respectively, and Maizie Lee (Saco, Maine) roped an RBI triple off the center field wall and promptly scored on a Eagleston sac fly to make it a 5-1 game.

Elliott completed the game scoring with a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the sixth.

IN THE CIRCLE:

Junior Caitlyn King (Old Town, Maine) picks up the win after scattering five hits with one earned run over seven frames. She is now 4-5 on the season.

Rivier freshman hurler Sydney Greeno (Shirley, Mass.) falls to 1-4 after allowing six runs (five earned) off seven hits and five walks over six innings.

OFF THE BAT:

• Junior left fielder Madisyn Charest (Sydney, Maine) went 2-3 with a run scored and a sac bunt
• Elliott knocked in a pair and was 1-3
• Lee was 1-3 with a run, a triple, and an RBI
• For Rivier, Rowsell was 2-3 with a run

HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:

With the sweep Saint Joseph's improves to 22-5 all-time versus Rivier University. The Monks and Raiders split last spring.

NEXT!

Saint Joseph's will host Anna Maria College in a GNAC doubleheader tomorrow at 1:00 PM.

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