NASHUA, N.H. - Saint Joseph's College (17-16, 12-4 GNAC) took two from Rivier University (15-17, 8-8 GNAC) in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) North Division softball action on Sunday afternoon. The Monks opened with an 8-4 triumph and scored nine unanswered runs to win the nightcap by a 9-1 margin.

With the sweep, the Monks earn the top seed in the North Division and will host a double-elimination tournament pod starting this Thursday. See the link below for full details.

SAINT JOSEPH'S 8, RIVIER 4:

The Monks exploded for five runs on seven hits and a Rivier error in the top of the first when sophomore catcher Chantelle Bouchard (Biddeford, Maine) launched a two-run homer to left-center, senior Lydia Goodnough (Kennebunkport, Maine) doubled home a run, and junior Madison Pelletier (New Gloucester, Maine) recorded an RBI single.

St. Joe's tacked on a run in the fifth when freshman Kryslin Stearns (Concord, N.H.) led off with a solo home run. The Raiders got on the board with a run in the sixth and the Monks plated a pair off one hit and a Rivier error in the seventh to make it an 8-1 game. Rivier mounted a rally with three runs on five hits – including a Kyleigh Burtsell pinch-hit solo homer – but the Monks escaped the jam with the help of a line-out double play started by third baseman Sylvia Foley (Scarborough, Maine).

MILESTONE MET:

Foley recorded the 100th hit of her career when she singled to center field with one out in the top of the first inning.

IN THE CIRCLE:

For the Monks, Pelletier went the distance and improved to 9-8 on the season after yielding four runs on 10 hits. Rivier starter Courtney Marioles did not make it out of the first frame and took the loss after allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits in 0.2 innings.

AT THE BAT:

• Bouchard continued to swing a hot bat in the opener and was 4-for-4 with two runs, her 10th home run of the season, and two RBI
• Sophomore second baseman Hannah Gosselin (Biddeford, Maine) went 3-for-4 with a run and a stolen base
• Stearns was 2-for-4 with two runs and a home run
• For Rivier, Christina Panagiotopoulos and Kylee Caetano posted two hits apiece

SAINT JOSEPH'S 9, RIVIER 1:

The teams played through four scoreless frames in the nightcap before the Raiders broke through with a run in the fifth. The Monks answered in a big way however, as the Royal Blue proceeded to score three runs in the sixth and six runs in the seventh to come away with the triumph and twinbill sweep.

IN THE CIRCLE:

Goodnough picked up the win and is now 8-5 on the season after allowing a run on six hits and three walks with three strikeouts in the complete-game performance.

Rivier starter Hailey Berube falls to 10-5 on the year after allowing nine runs (six earned) on 13 hits over 6.2 innings.

AT THE BAT:

• Bouchard had another big game and was 2-4 with a run, two doubles, and an RBI
• Gosselin went 2-4 with two runs and a stolen base
• Sophomore shortstop Charlotte Cloutier (Lewiston, Maine) was 2-4 with a double
• Foley went 2-4 with a run and an RBI
• Junior Paige Connery (Tyngsboro, Mass.) was 2-4 with a run and an RBI
• Goodnough added two hits and scored a run in four trips to the plate
• For Rivier, Kayla Miles was 3-3 with a double

HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:

With the sweep Saint Joseph's improves to 28-5 in the history of the series with Rivier University and has now defeated the Raiders in eight-consecutive meetings.

NEXT!

Saint Joseph's has earned the #1 seed in the GNAC North Division and will host a GNAC Tournament pod starting a first-round game at 3:30 PM versus the winner of a New England College/Rivier play-in game, which will be played in Nashua on Tuesday.

GNAC TOURNAMENT ANNOUNCEMENT

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