SPRINGFIELD, MASS. - Junior
Audrey Arsenault (Stow, Mass.) highlighted for the Saint Anselm College softball team with her first career grand slam to sweep American International College on the road and improve to an 8-6 record in conference play.
UP NEXT:
- Saint Anselm returns to the Hilltop to host Saint Michael's College on Tuesday, April 23rd for doubleheader action scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m. from South Athletic Field.
Score: Saint Anselm 7, American Int'l 13 (8 innings)
W: H. Hicks (14-4)
L: K. Boone (3-4)
Records: Saint Anselm 15-19 (7-6 NE10); AIC 9-20 (3-14 NE10)
Location: Springfield, Mass. (Groff Field)
Date: Sunday, April 21, 2024
HOW IT HAPPENED (Game 1):
- Saint Anselm got off to a quick start in the opening inning of game one by cashing in six runs on three hits. Senior Gracie O'Hara (Shrewsbury, Mass.) scored junior Ava Caputo (Waterford, N.Y.) home off a sacrifice hit to put the Hawks up 1-0. Freshman Jamie Calkins (Charlton, Mass.) tagged home plate after advancing on the throw to double their lead. After senior Hannah Ramer (Rehoboth, Mass.) walked to load up the bases, junior Audrey Arsenault (Stow, Mass.) smashed the ball over the left field fence for the grand slam to put Saint Anselm up 6-0 in the top of the first.
- The Yellow Jackets tacked on their first score of the game in the bottom of the third after Gora homered to make it 6-1. The home team continued to battle back adding three more runs off four hits in the bottom of the fourth to narrow the Hawks lead down to two runs.
- In the top of the sixth, Calkins reached home on a fielder's choice to extend Saint Anselm's advantage to three runs heading into the seventh. The Yellow Jackets fought back in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game up at 7-7 featuring a 2-run homer by Sanchez to force the game into extra innings.
- Saint Anselm wasted no time answering in the top of the eighth scoring six runs off five hits to regain a commanding 13-7 lead. Sophomore Alyssa Wironen (Leominster, Mass.) notched a 3 RBI double down the left field line to put the Hawks ahead 10-7. She then tagged home off a muffed infield throw to make it 11-7.
- Caputo earned an RBI single after Arsenault reached home followed by freshman Brooke Tardugno (Methuen, Mass.) stealing home to give Saint Anselm a 13-7 lead. The Hawks were able to hold the Yellow Jackets to just one hit in the bottom of the eighth to seal the 13-7 win in extra innings.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Saint Anselm recorded 13 runs off 13 hits along with zero errors while American Int'l posted seven runs off 14 hits with three errors in the game.
- The Yellow Jackets tallied two doubles and a pair of home runs while the Hawks also recorded two doubles and one homer for three extra-base hits.
- Saint Anselm stole six bases in the game in comparison to the Yellow Jackets with one stolen base.
- Arsenault led the team with four RBI thanks to her grand slam, her second career home run as a Hawk, along with two runs, a double, and a stolen base. Junior Sam Wiberg (Exeter, N.H.) recorded three hits on four plate appearances with two RBI and two runs scored. Caputo and Calkins each posted two hits as well as two stolen bases in the game for Saint Anselm.
- Senior Haile Hicks (Jefferson, N.H.) picked up the win after throwing all eight innings allowing seven earned runs off 14 hits along with four strikeouts.
Score: Saint Anselm 11, American Int'l 2 (5 innings)
W: S. DiPippo (2-6)
L: R. Sullivan (2-10)
Records: Saint Anselm 16-19 (8-6 NE10); AIC 9-21 (3-15 NE10)
Location: Springfield, Mass. (Groff Field)
Date: Sunday, April 21, 2024
HOW IT HAPPENED (Game 2):
- The Hawks once again jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead to start game two of the day thanks to an RBI single from O'Hara followed by two RBI from Arsenault. Saint Anselm continued to extend their advantage in the top of the second tacking on four more runs off four hits to go up 7-0.
- Calkins picked up an RBI after singling to right field scoring Wironen home to make it 4-0. Sophomore Rose Reitmeyer (Oxford, Conn.) earned a two-RBI double to score both Calkins and Caputo to push the Hawks ahead 6-0. After Reitmeyer stole third base, O'Hara doubled to left field to bring Reitmeyer home and take a commanding 7-0 lead.
- Harzula responded for American Int'l in the bottom of the second with a two-RBI home run to left center to make it a 7-2 game. The Hawks continued to tack on more runs in the third inning scoring three runs without a single hit to go up 10-2. Caputo scored Wironen home on the fielder's choice for the first run of the inning followed shortly by freshman Katie Tournas (Fairfield, Conn.) tagging home on a fielding error. Wiberg earned an RBI off a sacrifice fly to center field scoring Caputo to give Saint Anselm an eight-run lead.
- Freshman Madison Carmichael (Contoocook, N.H.) was able to tag home plate in the top of the fourth after a muffed throw by the Yellow Jackets catcher to further the Hawks advantage to 11-2. Saint Anselm limited American Int'l to just one hit in the final two innings of the game to secure the sweep winning game two by a final score of 11-2 after five innings.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Saint Anselm out hit American Int'l 9-to-3 in game two recording zero errors while the home team produced three errors.
- The Hawks posted two doubles for extra-base hits while the Yellow Jackets recorded a home run and double in game two.
- Saint Anselm picked up three steals in the game with Reitmeyer leading the team with two stolen bases.
- O'Hara went 2-for-2 at the plate with one RBI, one run scored, and a double. Reitmeyer also had a 2-for-2 performance for the Hawks with two RBI, two runs scored, and a double. Both Arsenault and Wiberg also recorded two RBI apiece in the contest.
- Junior Sophia DiPippo (Cranston, R.I.) earned her second win on the rubber for Saint Anselm after pitching the entire five innings allowing just two earned runs off three hits and punching out two batters.
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