STANDISH, Maine – The Saint Joseph's College softball team (4-6) hosted Thomas College (5-9) in the Monks' 2022 home opening doubleheader at Richard W. Bailey Field on Sunday afternoon. The Terriers won the first game, 7-0, and the Monks salvaged the split with a 4-2 nightcap victory.

GAME ONE:

Playing in their first game in over two weeks, the Monks struggled to string hits together in the home opener and did not have more than one runner on base in any inning until the bottom of the seventh.

In the meantime, the Terriers took a 3-0 lead in the top of the third when junior Maddie Rock (Bridgton, Maine) delivered a bases-loaded double and tacked on a single run in the fourth when Cheyenne Simpson (Peyton, Colo.) scored on a Kelsey Currier (Cumberland, Maine) two-bagger.

Thomas capped the game scoring with three runs on four hits in the top of the seventh, when Currier scored on a passed ball and Rock and Kaylee Fonseca (Seekonk, Mass.) notched RBI singles.

IN THE CIRCLE:

• SJC junior starter Meredith Pence (Remington, Va.) suffered the loss after giving up five runs (four earned) on eight hits and two walks with six K's in six innings; junior reliever Emily Eagleston (Reading, Mass.) allowed two runs on three hits with a strikeout in an inning of work
• For Thomas, Currier improves to 5-2 on the season after scattering five hits with five punch-outs in a complete-game effort

OFF THE BAT:

• For the Monks, senior catcher Bailey Rassol (Rehoboth, Mass.) was 2-for-3 with a double and sophomore right fielder Taylor Owen (Wakefield, Mass.) went 2-for-3 with a pair of two-baggers
• For the Terriers, senior Anna Piirainen (West Paris, Maine) was 3-for-4 with two runs and a double, Rock went 2-for-4 with a run, a double, and four RBI, Currier added a pair of doubles and two runs in three at-bats, and Fonseca was 2-for-4 with an RBI

GAME TWO:

The Monks broke through for two runs in the bottom of the third when freshman Sylvia Foley (Scarborough, Maine) delivered a two-run knock with two out. The Terriers managed to tie the game with single runs in the fourth and sixth innings, when Rock scored on a groundout and Bailey Dunphy (North Anson, Maine) raced home on an infield error, respectively.

St. Joe's plated the winning run in the bottom of the sixth, when Rassol notched a pinch-hit, two-run single.

IN THE CIRCLE:

• Junior Sydney Hatch (Newburgh, Maine) picked up her first win of the season after giving up two runs (one earned) on eight hits with a pair of K's over seven frames
• For Thomas, sophomore starter Jordan Devine (Belgrade, Maine) did not factor into the decision after allowing two runs on six hits and two walks with a pair of strikeouts in five innings; Currier took the loss after surrendering two runs on three hits in an inning of relief

OFF THE BAT:

• For SJC, Foley was 2-for-3 with a run and two RBI, freshman shortstop Rylee Page (Somersworth, N.H.) went 2-for-3, and junior Amaya Dacier (Warwick, R.I.) added two hits in three at-bats
• For Thomas, Currier went 2-for-4 with a double and a stolen base

HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:

With the split, Saint Joseph's is now 35-8 in the history of the series with Thomas College.

NEXT!

Saint Joseph's will host University of Southern Maine in a doubleheader on Wednesday. First pitch for the opener is set for 4:00 PM.

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