SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Senior Nicole Boucher (Woonsocket, R.I.) hit .400 on the day and drove in the winning run in game one as the Saint Anselm College softball team split with American International College on Saturday afternoon for a softball doubleheader. The Hawks fell, 4-3, in the second game, despite two hits each from sophomores Emily Crannell (Wilmington, Mass.) and Julie LeClair (Taunton, Mass.).
Saint Anselm moves to 11-7 overall and 5-3 in the Northeast-10 conference, while the Yellow Jackets drop to 5-11, 2-5 NE-10.
GAME ONE
A single run would be the deciding factor in the first game of the doubleheader. The Hawks pulled through with the game-winning tally in the bottom of the fifth inning when Boucher hit a double to left field that drove in freshman Sam Hennequin (Auburn, N.H.). Hennequin was pinch running for senior Gina Treglia (Fairfield, Conn.), who hit a one-out single to right to reach base.
AIC had its best chance to score some runs in the first frame when a pair of singles from the first two batters of the game put runners on first and second with no outs. After a fielder's choice, the Yellow Jackets had runners on first and third, but junior pitcher Tayla Trask (Lincoln, Maine) turned aside two straight batters via strikeouts to avoid the damage. Trask pitched the complete-game shutout, striking out six batters, while she remains perfect at 9-0 on the season.
GAME TWO
Saint Anselm fell 4-3 in the second game of the day with junior Paige Cormier (Rochester, N.H.) on the mound.
Trailing 1-0 heading into the bottom of the first, the Hawks put together two runs in their at bat to take the lead, 2-1. Boucher led off the inning with a walk and then stole second and third, to get herself in scoring position with one out. Sophomore Pattie Turner (Warwick, R.I.) also walked and then stole second. In the next at bat, senior Monique Gauthier (Canton, Conn.) grounded out to the shortstop, but knocked in Boucher to tie the game. Saint Anselm earned the go-ahead tally in the following at bat when Crannell singled to score Turner. Two were left on base as AIC pitcher Jillian Bedard retired the next two batters in order to work the Yellow Jackets out of the jam.
The Yellow Jackets had the answer in their next at bat, putting up two runs on three hits – however, three were left on base. AIC then added another run – to take its total to four – in the sixth.
In Saint Anselm's first at bat in the bottom of the sixth, LeClair cranked a home run to put the Hawks within one – but a pair of strikeouts ended the comeback and the game remained 4-3.
Boucher stole four bases on the day, while Turner took two. Cormier gave up three earned runs and struck out two batters over seven innings.
The Hawks will return to action Tuesday, April 8 at 3 p.m. when they play a doubleheader at Franklin Pierce University. 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 and following us on Twitter @STAHawks.
