MANCHESTER, N.H. - The Saint Anselm College softball team outlasted Saint Michael's College during a Northeast-10 Conference (NE10) twinbill on Tuesday. Junior
Sam Wiberg (Exeter, N.H.) had seven hits with three RBIs across the two games including an extra-innings walk-off home run to seal game two. The Hawks improve to a four-game win streak and a 10-6 conference record with the sweep over the Purple Knights.
UP NEXT:
- Saint Anselm travels to Franklin Pierce University to continue NE10 doubleheader action against the Ravens with a 2:30 p.m. start time.
Score: Saint Anselm 5, Saint Michael's 2
W: H. Hicks (15-4)
L: Richards (1-3)
Records: Saint Anselm 17-19 (9-6 NE10); Saint Michael's 10-21 (6-11 NE10)
Location: Manchester, N.H. (South Athletic Field)
Date: Tuesday, April 23, 2024
HOW IT HAPPENED (Game 1):
- Saint Anselm got out of an early jam in the top of the first after the Purple Knights stranded two runners featuring a double by B Connor. Junior Ava Caputo (Waterbury, Conn.) reached first base on a throwing error by the Saint Michael's shortstop and later scored thanks to an RBI double by Wiberg to put the Hawks up 1-0.
- Wiberg later tagged home after senior Hannah Ramer (Rehoboth, Mass.) reached on a fielding error to double Saint Anselm's lead heading into the second inning. Senior Haile Hicks (Jefferson, N.H.) struck out the final two batters in the top of the second to retire the side and keep the visitors off the scoreboard.
- After a quiet couple innings, Saint Michael's cashed in two runs thanks to a two-RBI home run by Connor to tie the game up at 2-2. The Hawks quickly responded in the bottom of the fifth cashing in two runs off two hits to regain a 4-2 advantage. Freshman Katie Tournas (Fairfield, Conn.) drove in two runs off a double to left field to score junior Julia Howse (North Reading, Mass.) and sophomore Rose Reitmeyer (Oxford, Conn.).
- Saint Anselm tacked on a late run in the bottom of the sixth after freshman Jamie Calkins (Charlton, Mass.) tagged home following a Purple Knight error to make it 5-2. The Hawks secured the win in game one after limiting the Purple Knights to just one hit in the top of the seventh by a final score of 5-2.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Both Saint Anselm and Saint Michael's recorded seven hits in the game while the Purple Knights made seven errors in comparison to the Hawks with two errors.
- The Purple Knights produced the lone home run of the game along with a double for two extra-base hits. The Hawks also recorded two extra-base hits with a pair of doubles.
- Wiberg went 3-for-3 at the plate for Saint Anselm with one RBI, one run scored, and a double. Tournas had a 1-for-3 performance with two RBI and a double.
- Connor recorded the lone home run of the game after going 3-for-4 at the plate along with a double and one run scored.
- Hicks earned the win after pitching the entire seven innings for the Hawks allowing two earned runs off seven hits along with five strikeouts.
Score: Saint Anselm 9, Saint Michael's 8
W: H. Hicks (16-4)
L: Davidson (0-1)
Records: Saint Anselm 18-19 (10-6 NE10); Saint Michael's 10-22 (6-12 NE10)
Location: Manchester, N.H. (South Athletic Field)
Date: Tuesday, April 23, 2024
HOW IT HAPPENED (Game 2):
- Saint Anselm jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning thanks to a two-RBI double from junior Stephanie Tardugno (Methuen, Mass.) to score both Wiberg and Caputo. Saint Michael's answered in the secon inning as Kelliher tallied a two-RBI single to even the score up at 2-2.
- Caputo responded in the bottom of the second with an RBI double to right center scoring junior Audrey Arsenault (Stow, Mass.) to give the Hawks a one-run advantage. The Purple Knights bats continued to click in the top of the third posting three runs off three hits to claim their first lead of the game at 5-3.
- The Hawks narrowed the visitor's advantage down to one-run as Tardugno ripped the ball into left center for an RBI double to make it 5-4. Johns produced an RBI single to bump the Purple Knights lead back to two-runs in the fourth, but the Hawks responded in the bottom of the inning cashing in two runs off four hits to tie the game at 6-6 featuring an RBI from senior Gracie O'Hara (Shrewsbury, Mass.) and Tardugno.
- O'Hara then snagged another two RBI off a double to left field scoring freshman Madeline Trisket (Binghamton, N.Y.) and Arsenault to take an 8-6 lead. Saint Michael's kept the game close after Sroczinski cut Saint Anselm's lead down to one run with an RBI in the top of the sixth.
- In the top of the seventh with the bases loaded, the Purple Knights forced the game into extra innings after scoring off a walk. After Hicks struck out two batters in the top of the eighth to retire the side, Wiberg cemented the victory with a walk-off home run to defeat the Purple Knights by a final score of 9-8.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Saint Anselm posted nine runs off 15 hits in game two while Saint Michael's recorded eight runs, 10 hits, and one error.
- The Hawks had six extra-base hits in the game featuring four doubles, one triple, and a home run along with two stolen bases both by Arsenault.
- Wiberg had a 4-for-5 performance at the plate highlighted by her first home run of the season, her third as a Hawk, along with one RBI and two runs scored. Tardugno went 3-for-4 for the Hawks with a team-high four RBI and a pair of doubles.
- Calkins earned her first collegiate triple while O'Hara and Caputo each tallied a double in the contest.
- Hicks earned her second win of the day after checking into the top of the seventh to pitch 1.1 innings giving up zero runs and zero hits along with three strikeouts to help secure the sweep. Junior Sophia DiPippo (Cranston, R.I.) opened game two throwing 4.0 innings allowing six earned runs off nine hits. Freshman Sam Ryan (Tewksbury, Mass.) also made a mound appearance pitching 2.2 innings and allowing one earned run and one hit along with three punchouts.
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