COLCHESTER, Vt. – Freshman Cara Crowley (Lynn, Mass.) and junior Kat Scafidi (Hudson, N.H.) each drove in six runs as the Saint Anselm College softball team earned a sweep of Saint Michael's College on Thursday afternoon at Doc Jacobs Field. The Hawks won the first game, 15-7, before capturing game two, 15-6, in six innings.
The Hawks' sixth and seventh straight wins run their record to 18-14 on the season, including 10-7 in Northeast-10 play. The Purple Knights fall to 4-24, 2-16 NE-10.
After Saint Michael's jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first in game one, Saint Anselm answered when freshman Monique Gauthier (Canton, Conn.) hit a two-out solo shot to left. The Hawks opened up a 3-1 lead in the fourth when senior Liz Trafton (Berwick, Maine) hit a two-out, two-run blast to left-center.
The Hawks then struck for four in the fifth on a two-out, two-run single to center by sophomore Lauren Galavotti (Marion, Mass.) and a two-out, two-run double to left-center by senior Jackie Giannino (Beverly, Mass.).
The Purple Knights cut their deficit to four after they pushed two runs across in the bottom half of the inning, but the Hawks stayed one step ahead with three unearned runs in the sixth.
Saint Michael's scored a run in the sixth to make it 10-4, but Saint Anselm erupted for five in the seventh to put the game out of reach. Trafton drove home two with a double, but the crowning blow came in the form of a three-run home run to center off the bat of Crowley. The Purple Knights added three more in the bottom of the seventh, but it was not enough.
Sophomore Shannon Dalton (Concord, Mass.) went the distance, giving up seven runs on 14 hits, while walking two and striking out four. Dalton is now 12-5 on the season.
Crowley and Trafton were each 2-for-4 with a homer and two runs scored, while Crowley drove in three runs and Trafton knocked in four. Galavotti was 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI and three runs scored. Gauthier was 2-for-4 with an RBI and scored three times, while Giannino was also 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI and a run scored. Scafidi went 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Senior Kayla McEachern (Stoneham, Mass.) was 2-for-5 and scored a run.
In game two, a two-run blast to left-center by freshman Nicole Boucher (Woonsocket, R.I.) staked the Hawks to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Saint Michael's responded with three in the bottom of the inning against starter Christina Boehn (Stamford, Conn.), but the Hawks went back on top, 5-3, with a three-spot of their own in the second on a three-run jack to left-center by Scafidi.
Saint Anselm broke the game wide open in the third as seven of the 10 it sent to the plate in the inning scored. Trafton started it with an RBI single to center and then scored on a wild pitch. Crowley doubled to left to drive home the third run of the inning before Scafidi singled to left to drive in two more. Freshman Olivia Story (Middleton, Mass.) knocked in run No. 6 of the inning with a pinch-hit single to center before Galavotti's sacrifice fly closed the scoring with Saint Anselm leading 12-3.
Saint Michael's answered with one in the third and two more in the fourth, but the Hawks put the game away with three in the top of the sixth on a two-run single by Crowley and an RBI double to left by McEachern.
Boehn (4-5) went the first four innings, allowing six runs on eight hits. She walked five and struck out three. Sophomore Kelly DeSormier (Tiverton, R.I.) tossed two hitless innings, issuing a walk, while striking out a pair.
Crowley went 3-for-4 with three RBI and three runs scored, while Scafidi was 2-for-5 with a homer, five RBI and a pair of runs scored. McEachern was 3-for-4 with an RBI and a pair of runs scored. Boucher went 2-for-2 with home run, two RBI and a run scored. Giannino was 2-for-4 with a couple of runs scored, while Gauthier was 2-for-3 and also scored twice.
The Hawks return to action Saturday, April 23 when they play host to American International College in doubleheader action beginning at noon.
