KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Saint Joseph's College (3-3) defeated La Roche University (1-5), 9-6, and fell to Misericordia University (4-2), 5-2, in THE Spring Games softball action at the Fortune Road Athletic Complex on Tuesday afternoon.

SAINT JOSEPH'S 9, LA ROCHE 6:

Saint Joseph's scored four runs in the bottom of the first without registering a hit, as La Roche starter Emma Bizay walked eight batters during the Monks' first turn at the bat. In the second frame, sophomore third baseman Sylvia Foley (Scarborough, Maine) roped a two-run double and later scored on a passed ball to make it a 7-0 game through two innings.

The Redhawks got on the board with a run on two hits in the top of the third inning, but the Monks countered with a pair of runs – as junior center fielder Lydia Goodnough (Kennebunkport, Maine) sent junior right fielder Taylor Owen (Wakefield, Mass.) home with a single and scored two batters later on a double off the bat of Olivia Howe (Arundel, Maine) – to lift the Royal Blue to a 9-1 advantage.

La Roche proceeded to score five unanswered runs on just three hits in the next three innings combined, but St. Joe's managed to stave off the Redhawks with a 1-2-3 seventh inning.

IN THE CIRCLE:

SJC senior starter Emily Eagleston (Reading, Maine) improved to 2-0 on the season after allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits and three walks with five strikeouts over six innings. Freshman Mia Northrup (Whitefield, Maine), who entered the game in the top of the fifth, gave up four runs (three earned) on four walks and a hit with one strikeout in an inning of relief before Eagleston re-took the circle to get the final six outs.

For La Roche, Bizay took the loss after yielding four runs on eight walks in one inning and Ashtin Hoover worked five innings while allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits and four free passes with a pair of punchouts.

AT THE BAT:

• Foley was 1-3 with a double, two runs, a stolen base, and a pair of RBI
• Freshman second baseman Hannah Gosselin (Biddeford, Maine) scored a run and reached base three times with a single and a pair of walks

MISERICORDIA 5, SAINT JOSEPH'S 2:

St. Joe's held a 2-1 edge after Howe plated Goodnough with a double to right-center in the top of the fifth, but Misericordia took the lead on a big fly off the bat of senior first baseman Kaitlin Redling, who blasted a three-run homer with two out in the bottom of the fifth to provide the Cougars with a 4-2 cushion.

Misericordia tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth and Goodnough attempted to spark a rally with a leadoff single in the top of the seventh but was stranded at second base.

IN THE CIRCLE:

SJC senior starter Sydney Hatch (Newburgh, Maine) took the loss after giving up five runs on six hits and six walks with four strikeouts in six innings.

Misericordia starter Emily Wenner gave up two runs off seven hits and two walks in five innings to claim the victory and Alexa McHugh earned a save after fanning four in two innings of relief.

AT THE BAT:

• Goodnough was 3-4 with two runs and a stolen base
• Howe went 2-3 with a double and an RBI
• For Misericordia, Redling went 2-3 with two runs, a double, a home run, and three RBI and Nicole Elliott was 2-4 with a run scored

NEXT!

The Monks are off tomorrow and return to action on Thursday with games versus Marian (Wis.) (2:00 PM) and York (Pa.) (4:30 PM) at the Fortune Road Athletic Complex.

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