NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The Saint Anselm College softball program picked up two season-opening victories on Friday, blanking Bloomfield College by scores of 1-0 and 9-0, respectively.
Saint Anselm exits the first day of the season with a 2-0 record, concluding the day with a five-inning shutout of the Bears (0-2).
Junior Haile Hicks (Jefferson, N.H.) fired a one-hitter in game one and an RBI double by sophomore Ava Caputo (Waterford, N.Y.) in the home half of the fifth inning was the only run necessary for the Hawks.
In game two, the Hawks scored once in the first and eight more times in the top of the fifth inning, easing their way to the run-rule victory. Junior Gracie O'Hara (Shrewsbury, Mass.) drove in three runs for the Hawks in game two, beginning the eight-run frame with a two-run homer to left field.
Junior Hannah Ramer (Rehoboth, Mass.) picked up three hits in the wins, matching the output of Caputo and O'Hara on the day.
Saint Anselm returns to action Saturday, Feb. 18 with a doubleheader against Molloy that begins at 10 a.m.
GAME ONE – Saint Anselm 1, Bloomfield 0
The Hawks could not generate much offense in the first four innings, but Hicks was equally keeping the Bears bats at bay.
With two outs and two runners on in the bottom of the fifth inning, a pitching change by Bloomfield did not work as intended. The first batter faced by the new hurler was Caputo, who promptly doubled to left field, scoring sophomore Audrey Arsenault (Stow, Mass.) who reached on a one-out walk.
Hicks took it from there, allowing her first hit in the top of the sixth inning. With two outs in that inning, catcher Alyssa Wironen (Leominster, Mass.) threw out the would-be base stealer to get out of the inning. Hicks threw a one-two-three top of the seventh inning to preserve the one-run victory.
Hicks pitched seven strong innings, allowing just one hit and striking out eight batters on the day. In 31 appearances for Saint Anselm, she has posted a 22-6 record in the circle across 197.2 innings of work.
GAME TWO – Saint Anselm 9, Bloomfield 0 (5 inn.)
Bloomfield committed two first-inning errors, leading to an RBI single up the middle by O'Hara that put the Hawks ahead, 1-0.
Saint Anselm stranded four runners on base across the next three innings before exploding for eight runs in the top of the fifth. O'Hara slugged a two-run home run before senior Meghan Gibbons (Litchfield, N.H.) doubled to left field, driving home another run with her first collegiate extra-base hit.
Arsenault scored on a wild pitch and Gibbons crossed the plate on an RBI single by Ramer. Caputo delivered a two-run triple before sophomore Stephanie Tardugno (Methuen, Mass.) crossed the plate on a wild pitch.
Sophomore Sophia DiPippo (Cranston, R.I.) allowed just two hits to Bloomfield, striking out three batters as the Hawks defense posted seven groundouts.
