CLERMONT, Fla. – Saint Joseph's College opened the 2026 softball season with a split in non-conference action at THE Spring Games on Saturday, defeating Otterbein, 3-1, in the opener before falling to Brandeis, 8-1, in the nightcap at the Legends Field Complex.
The Monks received a strong season-opening performance from senior Miranda Northrup (Whitefield, Maine), who tossed a complete game in the win over Otterbein, and got key offensive contributions throughout the day from senior Chantelle Bouchard (Biddeford, Maine), freshman Jaylah Trottier (Biddeford, Maine), freshman Brianna Eastman (West Baldwin, Maine), and senior Sadie Tirrell (Naples, Maine).
GAME ONE – SAINT JOSEPH'S 3, OTTERBEIN 1
Otterbein took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second, but the Monks answered immediately in the top of the third when Bouchard blasted a solo home run to left-center to tie the contest.
Saint Joseph's moved in front for good in the fourth. Eastman reached to begin the inning and freshman Rebecca Osgood (Corinth, Vt.) entered as a pinch runner. Later in the frame, Trottier delivered a two-out RBI single up the middle to put the Monks on top, 2-1.
The Monks added an insurance run in the fifth, as Bouchard drew a two-out walk, junior Kryslin Stearns (Concord, N.H.) followed with a single, and Eastman came through with an RBI base hit to left. Northrup made the lead stand from there, keeping Otterbein off the board over the final five innings to lock down the complete-game victory.
Saint Joseph's finished with an 8-5 advantage in hits in the opener, with Trottier swiping a pair of bases in the win.
IN THE CIRCLE:
Saint Joseph's:
- Senior Miranda Northrup (W, 1-0): 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 1 K (101 pitches) — complete game
Otterbein:
- Addison Yoder (L, 0-1): 5.2 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 1 K
- Kiley King: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
AT THE BAT:
Saint Joseph's:
- Senior Chantelle Bouchard: 1-for-3, 2 R, HR, RBI, BB
- Freshman Brianna Eastman: 2-for-2, 2B, RBI, BB
- Freshman Jaylah Trottier: 2-for-2, RBI, BB, 2 SB
- Junior Kryslin Stearns: 2-for-4
- Senior Sadie Tirrell: 1-for-4
- Sophomore Makayla Quintal (Gorham, Maine): BB, HBP, SB
Otterbein:
- Kayla Ferrell: 2-for-3
- Maggie McVicker: 1-for-4
- Mae Meldrum: 1-for-2
- Emily Black: 1-for-2
- Caitlin Wilkins: RBI
GAME TWO – BRANDEIS 8, SAINT JOSEPH'S 1
Brandeis scored in five different innings and held the Monks to three hits in the second game of the day.
The Judges scored once in the first and added two more runs in the third to build a 3-0 lead before Saint Joseph's answered in the bottom of the fourth. Freshman Kiera Gabric singled and later scored on an RBI double by Tirrell to cut the deficit to 3-1.
Brandeis responded with the decisive blow in the fifth, when Cae Pellegrini launched a three-run home run to extend the lead to 6-1. The Judges added single runs in both the sixth and seventh innings to close out the win.
Saint Joseph's mounted its best threat in the fourth after Tirrell's RBI double and a single by freshman Jayden Sullivan, but Brandeis starter Ragini Kannan escaped further trouble and went the distance, striking out 14 in the complete-game effort. Brandeis ended the contest with a 12-3 lead in hits.
IN THE CIRCLE:
Saint Joseph's:
- Sophomore Sierra Laukka (Hope, Maine) (L, 0-1): 3.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
- Freshman Lulu Dias (Danvers, Mass.): 2.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
- Freshman Olivia Thomas (Belgrade, Maine): 2.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
Brandeis:
- Ragini Kannan (W, 1-0): 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 14 K
AT THE BAT:
Saint Joseph's:
Brandeis:
- Erin Hunt: 3-for-5, 2 R
- Taryn Rainey: 2-for-4, 2 RBI, 2B
- Bells Burdenski: 2-for-4, R, RBI, 2B, 3B
- Jordan Wallace: 2-for-4, R, RBI, 2B
- Cae Pellegrini: 1-for-3, 2 R, 3 RBI, HR, BB
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:
Saint Joseph's is now 1-0 all-time versus Otterbein University and 4-9 in the history of the series with Brandeis.
NEXT!
Saint Joseph's returns to action tomorrow with games versus Washington College (2:00 PM) and Husson University (4:15 PM).
