PLANT CITY, Fla. – Saint Joseph's College (2-4) split a pair of contests in the Sunkissed Games on Wednesday. The Monks opened with an 11-1 loss to Aurora University (3-3) and salvaged the split with a 7-6 triumph over Bluffton University (2-4).

AURORA 11, SAINT JOSEPH'S 1

In the bottom of the first the Spartans put up a crooked number with four runs off five hits, as three of the first four Aurora batters reached via singles and Flores roped a three-run double to left-center to put her team up 4-0 early.

The Monks scored their only run of the game when Meghan Elliott (Mendon, Mass.), who reached with a double, scored off a Maizie Lee (Saco, Maine) base hit in the top of the fourth.

The Spartans tacked on a single run in the second and put up three runs in both the third and fourth innings to account for the 11-1 final.

Junior pitcher Kate Whitney (Jonesboro, Maine) took the loss after giving up eight runs off 12 hits with three strikeouts over three innings. Junior Madisyn Charest (Sidney, Maine) yielded three runs (two earned) of five hits with one strikeout in an inning of relief.

Senior shortstop Elaine Walker (Schaumburg, Ill.) led the Aurora offense by going 4-4 with three runs, a home run, and three RBI and starting pitcher Stephanie Renner (Crown Point, Ind.) picked up the win after yielding a run off three hits over five frames.

SAINT JOSEPH'S 7, BLUFFTON 6

The Monks' offense sprung to life early in the nightcap, as the Royal Blue posted five runs off seven hits in the first two innings combined. Freshman Bailey Rassol (Rehoboth, Mass.) was in the middle of both frames, as she roped an RBI single in the first and ripped a two-run base hit in the second to help her team assume control.

Bluffton got on the board with a pair of runs in the top of the third, but Saint Joseph's responded in kind in the bottom half, as junior Libby Pomerleau (Limerick, Maine) and Elliott notched run-scoring base hits to make it a 7-2 game.

The pair of runs proved to be pivotal, as the Beavers scored a run in the fourth and closed the gap with three runs in the fifth, scoring once on a throwing error and twice on back-to-back doubles.

Whitney came in to shut the door with two innings of one-hit relief to pick up her first save of the season while King earned her first win of the year after allowing six runs off 10 hits with five K's over five frames.

For the Monks, Pomerleau was 3-4 with three runs, a double, and two RBI, Elliott went 3-4 with two RBI, Rassol went 2-4 with three RBI, and Melodie Bailey (Lebanon, Maine) and Charest notched two hits apiece.

For the Beavers, junior left fielder Courtney Jasinski (Englewood, Ohio) was 3-4 with a run and an RBI and junior starting pitcher Alexis Montemarano (Brook Park, Ohio) took the loss after giving up four runs off five hits in 1.1 innings of work.

NEXT!

The Monks continue their southern swing tomorrow with games versus WPI (1:15 PM) and St. John Fisher (3:30 PM).

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