CLERMONT, Fla.- The Saint Anselm College softball team dropped a 9-3 decision to Gannon University and a 7-6 score to Saint Francis University on Thursday afternoon on the third day of games of the Hawks' spring break trip to Clermont, Fla.
With the pair of losses, Saint Anselm falls to 1-5 on the young season, while Gannon improves to 6-1 and Saint Francis bumps to 5-2.
Saint Anselm jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning after Nicole Boucher (Woonsocket, R.I.) began the inning by working a walk. After a few pitches to the next batter, Boucher stole second base and advanced to third when the catcher's throw sailed into center. The centerfielder came up throwing and tried to gun Boucher down at third, but her throw overshot the third baseman allowing Boucher to cross home plate.
Gannon evened the score up in the bottom of the third when Samantha Scott reached on an error. Scott was later brought in to score when Kirstie Cortazzo singled to left field. Saint Anselm starter Tayla Trask (Lincoln, Maine) worked out of a bases loaded jam to end the inning.
Gannon took the lead for good in the bottom off the fourth when Scott stepped up to the plate again with the bases loaded and took a Trask screwball over the left field fence for a grand slam.
Saint Anselm chipped away at the lead in the top of the sixth when Hayley Lombard (Boynton Beach, Fla.) led the inning off with a triple to right center. She later scored when Boucher hit a sacrifice fly to deep center.
Gannon added to its lead in the bottom of the sixth inning when Alexa Archambeault took a 0-1 Hayley LeClair (Hudson Falls, N.Y.) riseball over the fence for a three-run home run.
Saint Anselm did not go quietly as Monique Gauthier (Canton, Conn.) singled to right with one out. Gina Treglia (Fairfield, Conn.) drove Gauthier in with a RBI double to right-center, however, that is where the rally ended as Gannon was able to retired the next two batters to end the game.
In the second game of the day's double header, Saint Francis jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in its first at bat inning against Saint Anselm starter Paige Cormier (Rochester, N.H.). Leadoff hitter Lexi Southall hit a single to start the game and later scored when Kaley Jendraszak doubled to left center.
After Saint Francis added another run in the top of the third inning, Saint Anselm took the lead in the bottom half. Boucher led the inning off with a walk followed by a single by Kasey Moran (Medford, Mass.). After a fly out Lauren Galavotti (Marion, Mass.) singled, scoring Boucher from second base. Hannah Byrne (Lynn, Mass.) came to the plate next and hit a triple to right center plating both runners. Gina Treglia (Fairfield, Conn.) capped the scoring off with a RBI single to left field to give the Hawks a 4-2 lead.
Saint Francis got a run back in the top of the fourth when Southall hit a home run to right field.
The Hawks pushed across two more runs in the bottom half of the inning after Lombard reached on an error to start the inning. Gauthier and Galavotti then both hit RBI doubles to give the Hawks a 6-3 lead.
Saint Francis tied the game in the top of the fifth when it sent eight runners to the plate scoring three runs. The scoring was capped when Taylor Schroeder hit a long fly ball to right that was mishandled by the right fielder scoring two runs for Saint Francis.
Trask entered the game in the top of the sixth inning, as relief, to pitch for the Hawks. Tori Johnson walked and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Following a long at bat from Jordan Halata, Saint Francis was finally able to take the lead when Halata singled, scoring Johnson from second.
The Hawks put together a two-out rally in the bottom of the seventh inning when Treglia and Story singled to put runners on second and third base. Julie LeClair (Taunton, Mass.) stepped up to the plate and hit a screeching ground ball in the hole between first and second base but the second baseman made a diving stop and threw LeClair out to end the game.
Saint Anselm returns to the field March 8 when it plays a double-header with University of the Sciences (1 p.m.) and Wayne State (3 p.m.). Stay up-to-date with the latest news, including game previews and recaps, directly from the Saint Anselm College athletic department by liking us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/STAHawks) and following us on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/STAHawks).
