MANCHESTER, N.H. – The regionally-ranked Saint Anselm College softball team concluded its 2023 regular season with a Senior Day doubleheader split against the University of New Haven in Northeast-10 Conference action on Friday.
The Hawks close the regular season with a 25-14-1 overall record and a 15-8-1 record in conference play. The Chargers move to 16-29 on the season and to 11-11 in NE10 games. Saint Anselm has secured a spot in the upcoming NE10 Softball Championship tournament and their first game for the tournament is to be announced.
Sophomore
Ava Caputo (Waterford, N.Y.) led Saint Anselm with three hits on Friday. Senior
Jess Persechino (Torrington, Conn.), sophomore
Stephanie Tardugno (Methuen, Mass.), senior
Kate Irwin (Milford, Mass.), sophomore
Alyssa Wironen (Leominster, Mass.), and senior
Kylie Fitzpatrick (Danville, N.H.) collected two hits apiece for the Hawks.
Junior
Hannah Ramer (Rehoboth, Mass.) led the Hawks offense with two runs batted in on the day.
Senior
Ava Vincequere (Shrewsbury, Mass.) turned in her third consecutive complete game effort. The senior allowed one run, unearned, and allowed just four hits in the game two win. Junior
Haile Hicks (Jefferson, N.H.) suffered the loss in game one after giving up three runs on six hits.
GAME ONE: New Haven 3, Saint Anselm 2
New Haven pushed across the first run of game one in the top of the first frame. After a single from
Maeve Lougheed put runners on the corners,
Halle Frederick brought home
Bella Chenet with a sacrifice fly.
Tardugno got the Hawks in business with a one-out triple in the bottom of the frame but a pair of ground outs stranded the sophomore at third.
Saint Anselm took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. Fitzpatrick led off with a single and would reach third on a single from Wironen. Both student-athletes would come around to score on a double down the left field line from Ramer.
The Hawks threatened in the bottom of the fifth as they put runners on second and third with one out. However, the Chargers got a pop out and a line out to get out of the trouble.
New Haven loaded the bases in the top of the seventh and would convert on the scoring chance as Lougheed singled to right field which scored two runs and gave the visitors a 3-2 lead.
The Hawks managed to get two runners on base in the bottom of the seventh. However, the Chargers got a line out and a fly out to take game one by a 3-2 score.
GAME TWO: Saint Anselm 2, New Haven 1
New Haven got a leadoff double from Chenet to open game two and she would reach third on a groundout. However, Vincequere got two additional ground outs to strand the early threat.
Saint Anselm manufactured game two's opening run as Caputo singled before reaching second on a sacrifice. Fitzpatrick would single up the middle to score the sophomore and give the Hawks a 1-0 lead through one inning.
The Hawks added a second run in the bottom of the fourth. After loading the bases, Caputo would plate one run on a single through the left side. A foul out would limited the damage for New Haven to just one run in the inning.
The Chargers got on the scoreboard as Chenet singled to center field which scored
Aaliyah Amidon who reached on an error to open the fifth. That run made the score 2-1 in favor of the Hawks.
Saint Anselm has a great chance for some insurance in the bottom of the sixth as the Hawks put runners on the corners. However, a ground out sent the Chargers to bat in the top of the seventh in search for one run.
Vincequere got a ground out and a strike out before allowing a single to
Hailey Polisano. However, the senior got a fly out to close down game two by a 2-1 score for the Hawks.
