HENNIKER, N.H. – Saint Joseph's College (16-18, 9-5 GNAC) swept a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) softball doubleheader at New England College (13-18, 8-8 GNAC) on Saturday afternoon, claiming an 11-2 victory in the opener before earning a 7-6 win in eight innings in game two. The Monks piled up 33 hits on the day, including 20 knocks in the opener.
GAME ONE – Saint Joseph's 11, New England College 2
HOW IT HAPPENED:
New England College grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, but Saint Joseph's settled in quickly and answered with a run in the second when sophomore Addison French (Rochester, N.H.) singled home junior Kryslin Stearns (Concord, N.H.). The Monks took control in the third as senior Chantelle Bouchard (Biddeford, Maine) scored on a Stearns single and freshman Jayden Sullivan (Hancock, Maine) came home on a New England College error.
Saint Joseph's added three more in the fourth to build a 6-2 cushion. Freshman Jaylah Trottier (Biddeford, Maine) tripled and scored on senior Sadie Tirrell's (Naples, Maine) single, Bouchard followed with an RBI double, and Sullivan later scored on an outfield error. The Monks kept the pressure on in the sixth when Bouchard came home on Stearns' second double of the day.
Saint Joseph's put the game away with a four-run seventh. French and freshman Kiera Gabric (Hampden, Maine) opened the frame with singles, Trottier followed with a bunt hit, and Tirrell drove in two with a double. Bouchard added an RBI on an error and Stearns capped the scoring with another run-producing single as the Monks pulled away for the 11-2 final.
The Monks erupted for 20 hits in the opener, marking Saint Joseph's highest single-game hit total since March 27, 2025, when the Royal Blue registered 20 hits in a 14-11 victory at Mitchell College.
IN THE CIRCLE:
Saint Joseph's:
- Senior Miranda Northrup (Whitefield, Maine) (W, 10-7) – 7.0 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
New England College:
- Amanda Magro (L, 9-4) – 7.0 IP, 20 H, 11 R, 10 ER, 1 BB
IN THE BOX:
Saint Joseph's:
- Jaylah Trottier – 3-for-4, 2 R, 3B
- Sadie Tirrell – 2-for-5, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2B
- Chantelle Bouchard – 3-for-4, 3 R, 2 RBI, BB, 2B
- Jayden Sullivan – 2-for-5, R
- Kryslin Stearns – 5-for-5, R, 3 RBI, 2 2B
- Addison French – 3-for-4, R, RBI
New England College:
- Kate Gagne – 2-for-4, R, SB
- Grace Giesler – 1-for-3, R, BB, SB
- Emma Lopez – 2-for-4, RBI, 2B
- Makayla Halley – 1-for-4, RBI
GAME TWO – Saint Joseph's 7, New England College 6 (8 inn.)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Saint Joseph's struck first in the opener when Gabric singled and later scored on Tirrell's RBI double, but New England College answered with a run in the bottom of the frame. The Monks regained the lead in the fourth when Tirrell singled, moved up on a groundout, and scored on Sullivan's base hit to make it 2-1.
The Pilgrims went in front with three runs in the fifth, but Saint Joseph's answered when it mattered. In the seventh, freshman Brianna Eastman (West Baldwin, Maine) singled and sophomore Breann MacMillan (Medway, Mass.) followed with a hit before Tirrell lined a two-run single to left to put the Monks back in front, 4-3.
After New England College pushed across two runs in the bottom of the seventh to extend the game, Saint Joseph's came through in extra innings. With Tirrell placed on second to begin the eighth, Bouchard blasted a two-run homer to center. Sullivan later singled, Stearns doubled, and MacMillan added a sacrifice fly to plate an insurance run. New England College scored twice in the bottom half, but Olivia Thomas (Belgrade, Maine) got the final out to secure the sweep.
IN THE CIRCLE:
Saint Joseph's:
- Sophomore Sierra Laukka (Hope, Maine) – 4.1 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
- Olivia Thomas (W, 2-6) – 3.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 0 ER
New England College:
- Wren Anhalt (L, 2-4) – 7.0 IP, 12 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 1 BB
- Mackenzie Yirrell – 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R
IN THE BOX:
Saint Joseph's:
- Kiera Gabric – 2-for-5, 2 R
- Sadie Tirrell – 4-for-4, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2B
- Chantelle Bouchard – 1-for-4, R, 2 RBI, HR
- Jayden Sullivan – 2-for-4, R, RBI
- Kryslin Stearns – 1-for-4, 2B
- Brianna Eastman – 1-for-3
- Breann MacMillan – 1-for-4, R, RBI
New England College:
- Kate Gagne – 2-for-4, 3 R, RBI, BB, 2 SB
- Grace Giesler – 3-for-5, R
- Sonia Garcia – 2-for-4, 2 RBI
- Julia Maker – 2-for-4, RBI
- Abigail Grimes – 2-for-3, R, BB, 2B
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:
With the sweep, Saint Joseph's moves to 8-0 all-time against New England College.
NEXT!
Saint Joseph's returns to action on Thursday with a non-conference doubleheader at home versus UMaine-Farmington. First pitch is slated for 3:00 PM.
