WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The nationally-ranked Saint Anselm College softball team split its two games on Sunday. The Hawks rallied late, thanks to a key hit off the bat of senior Maggie Murphy (Scarborough, Maine), to defeat Grand Valley State, 2-1, in the first game while coming up short against Saginaw Valley in game two with a 3-1 loss.
The Hawks, who are ranked 12th in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches' Association (NFCA) Division II Top 25 poll, sit at 10-2 on the season. The Lakers fall to 2-3 while the Cardinals improve to 7-1 on the year. Saint Anselm will have a full day off from action and return on Tuesday, Mar. 3 to battle Concordia-St. Paul (10:15 a.m.) and Gannon (12:30 p.m.).
Head Coach Jill Gagnon, in her seventh season, exited the day with 175 career wins with the Hawks. She is the winningest coach in Saint Anselm softball history, owning a .649 winning percentage.
Murphy led the Hawks offense in the 2-1 win over the Lakers by recording hits in all of her at-bats. Murphy posted one walk and the game-winning RBI. Murphy had her first three-hit game since May 11, 2019 when she went 3-for-4 against Southern New Hampshire.
In game two, junior Bre Klaiber (Ironton, Ohio) knocked out a solo home run against the Cardinals. Klaiber has now recorded hits in the past eight of nine games.
No. 12 Saint Anselm 2, Grand Valley State 1 | Box Score
This matchup began with a defensive battle where neither team allowed a single, despite both offense posting five hits in the first five innings.
Saint Anselm got on the board first in the top of the sixth, starting with a Murphy bunt. Later in the inning, junior Lauren Washburn (Carmichael, Calif.) nailed a line drive to the shortstop who bobbled the ball. The defender could not gather the ball, allowing Murphy to round third, but she was thrown out at home. Senior Shannon Colson (Rochester, N.H.) scored on the play.
Taylor Rieger responded by leading off the bottom half of the inning with a lone home run, tying the game at one.
With one inning left, pressure was mounting for both teams to score. Murphy converted with two runners on and two outs, knocking a single through the right side, bringing home sophomore Kate Irwin (Milford, Mass).
Senior Morgan Perry (Bethany, Conn.) finished the contest with nine strikeouts through her 56th career complete game, allowing four hits in the process. Perry kept her winning streak going in the circle, improving to 6-0. Hannah Beatus fanned seven batters in the loss.
Saginaw Valley 3, No. 12 Saint Anselm 1 | Box Score
The Cardinals capitalized off an early scoring opportunity as Julia Salisbury was brought home on a single from Alex Roob. Saginaw Valley kept that one-run lead until the fifth inning for Jackie Popko sent a home run over the center field wall, scoring two.
Trailing by three heading into the bottom half of the sixth inning, Klaiber led off with a home run to left center field. The Hawks were unable to convert on any further chances.
Junior Courtney Fisher (Taunton, Mass.) started the second game, striking out four batters while allowing eight hits. Sophomore McKenna Smith (Old Town, Maine) came into relief after the fourth inning, not allowing any hits and striking out seven batters in the process.
Saginaw Valley's Jaclyn Groves posted her second win of the season, recording five innings pitched. She surrendered four hits, fanning two batters. Emily Depew came in late and earned the save.
Klaiber led the team with two hits while also walking twice.
