BARTOW, Fla. – Saint Joseph's College (3-5) dropped a pair of non-conference games at the Bartow Complex on Thursday, falling to Wittenberg University (5-3), 13-2, in five innings in the opener before coming up just short in a 7-6 setback to Earlham College (5-5) in the nightcap. Saint Joseph's totaled 10 runs on 12 hits over the two contests, but the Tigers scored in every inning but one in in the first game and Earlham rallied with two runs in the bottom of the seventh to walk off game two.

GAME ONE – Wittenberg 13, Saint Joseph's 2

HOW IT HAPPENED:

Wittenberg seized control right away with a five-run top of the first. Kayla Drake launched a two-run homer, Bailey Nichols added an RBI single, and Shyann Beddow followed with a two-run double to give the Tigers an early 5-0 cushion. Wittenberg then tacked on an unearned run in the second to make it 6-0.

Saint Joseph's broke through in the bottom of the third. Senior Anna Gilbert (Gray, Maine) opened the inning with a single and freshman Kiera Gabric (Hampden, Maine) drew a walk before sophomore Makayla Quintal (Gorham, Maine) singled to center. Senior Sadie Tirrell (Naples, Maine) then ripped a two-run double to center field, plating Quintal and Gabric to trim the deficit to 6-2.

The Tigers answered with four runs in the fourth inning to push the lead to 10-2. Nichols drove in one with a single, Beddow doubled home another, Kennedy Reed added a bunt RBI single, and Wittenberg also scored on a passed ball in the frame. The Tigers capped the scoring with three runs in the fifth, highlighted by a two-run double from Ava Cyphers, to account for the 13-2 final.

IN THE CIRCLE:

Saint Joseph's:

• Sierra Laukka (So., Hope, Maine) (L, 0-1) – 3.1 IP, 8 H, 9 R, 8 ER, 5 BB, 1 K
• Olivia Thomas (Fr., Belgrade, Maine) – 1.2 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 K

Wittenberg:

• Phoebe Underwood (W, 1-0) – 4.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB
• Lilly James – 1.0 IP, 1 H, 3 K

IN THE BOX:

Saint Joseph's:

• Gilbert – 2-for-2
• Tirrell – 1-for-2, 2 RBI, 2B
• Quintal – 1-for-2, R
• Gabric – R, BB

Wittenberg:

• Drake – 3-for-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR, 2B
• Nichols – 3-for-4, 2 R, 3 RBI
• Beddow – 3-for-4, R, 3 RBI, 2 2B
• Goodpasture – 2-for-4, 2 R
• Cyphers – 1-for-3, 3 RBI, 2B

HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:

Saint Joseph's is now 0-2 all-time versus Wittenberg College, a team the Monks last faced during the 2022 campaign (L, 1-6; 3/7/22).

GAME TWO – Earlham 7, Saint Joseph's 6

HOW IT HAPPENED:

Saint Joseph's struck quickly with a four-run top of the first, aided by a pair of Earlham errors. Tirrell doubled home Gabric and Quintal, Chantelle Bouchard (Biddeford, Maine) followed with an RBI single, and Torrie Webber (Augusta, Maine) later brought home Tirrell on a fielder's choice before Olivia Thomas scored on a wild pitch for a 4-0 lead.

Earlham answered with one run in the bottom of the first and pulled even with a three-run third. Michaela King singled home a run in the first, then Bo Shelton launched a two-run homer in the third before Ariel Clarkston added a sacrifice fly to knot the contest at 4-4.

The Monks moved back in front in the fourth. Jaylah Trottier (Biddeford, Maine) singled and stole second before Gabric was hit by a pitch. After Quintal's sacrifice bunt moved both runners up, Tirrell delivered an RBI single and Bouchard followed with a run-scoring groundout to make it 6-4. Earlham answered with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning to pull within one.

Saint Joseph's carried a 6-5 lead into the seventh, but Earlham rallied in its final at-bat. Jade Green walked and stole second, Drew Tubesing walked, and after a sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position, Emmerie Stump singled in the tying run. Malaya Tanglao then lifted a sacrifice fly to right to bring home the winning run and hand the Quakers the walk-off victory.

IN THE CIRCLE:

Saint Joseph's:

• Miranda Northrup (Sr., Whitefield, Maine) (L, 2-2) – 6.0 IP, 9 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 7 BB, 4 K
• Thomas – 0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB

Earlham:

• Tatum Rickert – 3.2 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
• Shelby Messer (W, 2-1) – 3.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 K

IN THE BOX:

Saint Joseph's:

• Tirrell – 3-for-3, R, 2 RBI, BB, 2B, SB
• Bouchard – 1-for-3, 2 RBI, BB
• Trottier – 1-for-3, R, BB, SB
• Thomas – 1-for-2, R, BB
• Webber – 1-for-3, RBI
• Sullivan – 1-for-4
• Gabric – 2 R, HBP, SB

Earlham:

• Newland – 2-for-2, 2 R, BB, 2 SB
• Tanglao – 2-for-4, 2 RBI, SB
• King – 1-for-2, R, 2 RBI, BB
• Shelton – 1-for-3, R, 2 RBI, HR, BB, SB
• Butler – 2-for-4, R, 2B
• Tubesing – 1-for-2, 2 BB, SB

HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:

Thursday's matchup marked the first recorded meeting between the two programs.

NEXT!

Saint Joseph's returns to action on Friday, March 13th, when the Monks face Washington College (Md.) at 12:15 PM and Ohio Wesleyan at 2:30 PM in Clermont, Florida.