SAINTS SWEEP FINAL GAMES IN FLORIDA

AS TWO EARN LEAGUE HONORS

Mar. 26: The St. Lawrence University softball team finished their spring break trip with a 5-4-1 record thanks to a sweep over Lasell and Albright in their final two games of their 2007 spring trip to Fort Myers, FL. Senior pitcher Ava Pickering and first year student Jessica Manderfield were awarded for their efforts, as each earned Liberty League recognition for their performances during the ten-game span.

 

Pickering pitched the Saints to their fourth win of the campaign against Lasell by the score of 6-0, allowing just three hits while striking out seven batters. The Scarlet and Brown built a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning thanks to the top of the order. First year student Julia Humphries drew a walk to start the inning, followed by a single from fellow rookie Amy Atkins. Sophomore Meg Richardson then delivered a single that drove in both runners and would later score the team's final run of the inning on a hit by rookie Jenna Padeni.

 

With Pickering in control, the Saints struck again in the fourth when Padeni scored on a Lasell error to make the score 4-0. The team would tack on two more runs to put the game out of reach in the sixth, as Atkins doubled to score Humphries, and Manderfield would then complete the scoring, driving in a run on an infield single.

 

Atkins, Manderfield, and Padeni each went 2-for-4 in the game, leading the team into the second game on Friday against Albright.

 

Humphries again sparked the Saints in the first, doubling to left field and advancing on a sac bunt by Atkins. Richardson's sacrifice fly plated the game's first run to put the Scarlet and Brown ahead in the top of the first.

 

Albright would respond in the bottom half of the inning, though, as Stevie Crouse drew a walk and moved to second on a single by Alex Keyes. Jen Lynch then delivered a single to left-center field to score Crouse and even the score at 1-1 through one inning.

 

St. Lawrence showed their resiliency by coming right back in the second and re-establishing a one run cushion. Padeni advanced to third base on a series of errors by Albright, and senior Yralee Mendez lined a base hit to left field to score Padeni for the 2-1 lead. Humphries then added an RBI single in the top half of the fourth to score Pickering to make the score 3-1.

 

After Albright cut the lead to one in the bottom of the fourth, the Lions again put pressure on the Saints in the fifth as they loaded the bases with no outs against sophomore Janelle Graves. However, the Fort Ann, NY native battled out of the jam, getting back-to-back ground balls which allowed her defense to get the force outs at home. Graves then flashed some leather on a diving catch on a line drive towards the mound to end the inning and preserve the victory.

 

"I think we got off to a good start, and I'm proud of the way the team stepped up to work together and get beyond some hurdles we've faced in the early going," said head coach Fran Grembowicz. "The pitching staff was solid, and I was impressed with our performance at the plate. Overall, I'd say the Florida trip helped us gain some valuable experience and we can now focus on building out success throughout the season."

 

Pickering was named the Liberty League's "Co-Pitcher of the Week" after compiling a 4-2-1 record in Florida. The Arlington, VT native totaled 33 strikeouts in her seven appearances, including a season-best nine strikeouts against Bethel. Pickering also did some damage at the plate with two homeruns and a triple.

 

Meanwhile, Manderfield was tagged the conference's "Rookie of the Week" after connecting for fifteen base hits and six RBI's in Florida. The Davisburg, MI native boasts a .455 batting average thus far in her first season with the team.

 

The Saints will be in action again on Sunday, April 1st for the opening home games of the 2007 season.

St. Lawrence will play a doubleheader with St. John Fisher, with the first game beginning at 1:00pm.

 

 

 

SAINTS SPLIT SERIES WITH

BUFFALO STATE AND WNEC

Mar. 22: The St. Lawrence University softball team dropped a 3-2 decision to Buffalo State on Thursday morning before rebounding to out-hit Western New England College (WNEC) in a 15-14 win in Ft. Myers, FL. The victory over the Golden Bears moved the Saints to 3-4-1 on the season.

 

In the opener, Buffalo State took a 1-0 lead in the first when Joss Mooney was driven in by Nicole Sabuda. After several scoreless innings, it was again Buffalo State that added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth. Nicole Maher singled, moved to second on a walk to Chris Tscharl, and with two outs, Lauren Mruk singled to left to score Maher.

 

The Scarlet and Brown cut the lead to 2-1 in the top of the sixth when rookie Julia Humphries hit a line shot to center and advanced to second when the ball deflected off the glove of the centerfielder. Sophomore Meg Richardson then hit a clutch single to center to plate Humphries.

 

St. Lawrence would then tie the score at 2-2 in the top of the seventh. First year student Asuka Nakayama was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, followed by a bunt single by Katie Dreher had a bunt single. Senior Melissa Pittelli then singled to load the bases, and Humphries ripped the ball to left field, driving in the tying run.

 

The Bengals would respond in the bottom of the seventh, though, with a run to seal the victory, 3-2. Jo Banach hit a double off senior pitcher Ava Pickering, which scored Laurie Hutten and gave Buffalo State a hard-earned win over St. Lawrence in Thursday’s opener.

 

After dropping their third straight game, the Saints came through with a 15-14 win over WNEC to earn the split. They jumped out to a 3-2 lead after the first, as rookie Jessica Manderfield doubled to score Humphries to get the Saints on the board. Pickering then ripped a triple to right-center field to bring both Manderfield and junior Nicole Bottego home for a 3-0 advantage. Though the Golden Bears answered with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning, the Saints held a coveted one-run lead.

 

The scoring was merely getting started though, as the two teams were deadlocked at 6-6 after the second inning. St. Lawrence scored when Richardson drove home senior Yralee Mendez and Bottego doubled home Pittelli and Richardson. Again, WNEC responded to the Saints offense, plating four runs to knot the game at 6-6.

 

Though the Scarlet and Brown picked up a run in each of the next three innings, it was the Golden Bears that went up by one run in the bottom of the fifth inning, 10-9. The young Saints team responded however, taking the lead for good in the top of the sixth. First year student Amy Atkins and Humphries singled, and a WNEC error allowed Atkins to score the tying run. After Manderfield walked, Bottego came to the plate and laced a hit to the gap, scoring both Humphries and Manderfield.

 

Pickering did a nice job in relief of sophomore Janelle Graves, silencing the Golden Bears’ bats in the bottom half of the sixth.

 

First year student Jennifer Girard led of the seventh with a pinch-hit single to center, then moved to second on a passed ball. Mendez advanced Girard to third on a sacrifice bunt, and the Saints manufactured the run when Atkins singled to bring Girard home. Rookie Jenna Padeni drew a walk to place runners on first and second, and each runner advanced on a double steal. Humphries again came through for the Saints singling to right field, followed by Richardson driving in Padeni for the eventual game-winning run on a ground ball to the right side.

 

Though the Saints carried a five run advantage into the bottom of the seventh, WNEC wasn’t finished as Steph Glanswer led off the inning with a home run. After a pop out, Allison Glassick singled and advanced to third on a Saint error. The Golden Bears would score two more runs on a fielder’s choice and an infield single to pull to within one. With runners on first and second with two outs, Pickering would deliver, forcing Britt Degenero to pop out to second base to preserve the Saints’ win.

 

Every St. Lawrence batter recorded a hit against WNED, with Bottego going 4-for-5 at the plate and Manderfield notching three hits. Graves went 4 2/3 innings for St. Lawrence, while Pickering picked up the victory.

 

 

SAINTS FALL TO BOWDOIN

AND TRINITY IN FLORIDA

Mar. 21: The St. Lawrence University softball team dropped two contests on Wednesday to a pair of NESCAC teams, Bowdoin and Trinity, during their Spring trip to Florida. The Saints (2-3-1) fell in the opener 5-4 to Bowdoin, then dropped the second game to Trinity by the score of 9-1.

 

After three scoreless innings, it would be the Scarlet and Brown who struck first, scoring four runs in the top of fourth inning. Sophomore Meg Richardson got the inning started with a one-out single, and would then score on first year student Jessica Manderfield's double.

 

With two outs in the inning, junior Nicole Bottego drew a free pass on a catcher's interference call that kept the inning alive. Senior tri-captain Ava Pickering then delivered, clearing the bases with a three-run home run to put her team ahead 4-0.

 

Bowdoin came right back in the bottom half of the inning though, responding with three runs to cut their deficit to 4-3. The Polar Bears strung three base hits together, and were aided by two St. Lawrence errors.

 

It would be the miscues that doomed the Saints, though, as Bowdoin again capitalized on a St. Lawrence error in the bottom of the fifth. The Polar Bears then attacked with their bats, notching three singles to score twice and take a 5-4 lead, which they were able to protect.

 

Sophomore Janelle Graves pitched a strong outing for the Saints despite taking the loss. The Fort Ann, NY native allowed only six hits.

 

In their second game of the day, it was again St. Lawrence who scored first when Yralee Mendez hit a hard grounder through the shortstop to allow Bottego to score from third to put the Saints ahead 1-0 in the second inning. Bottego had walked to lead off the inning, then advanced on a fielding error and on a sac bunt by first year student Jenna Padeni.

 

The Saints were able to hold Trinity to three scoreless innings before their opponents tied the game in the fourth. Sara Dougherty scored from second on a two-out single by Stacy Hathcox.

 

Trinity then posted three runs in the fifth on their way to the 9-1 victory. Jessica Tait singled to center and would later score on a single off the bat of Stacy Hills. Ariana Mullins followed with a two out single to score two runners, and Trinity picked up five runs in the sixth to close out the scoring. Pickering took the loss, allowing six hits in the contest.

 

 

SAINT SOFTBALL OFF TO 2-1-1 START

Mar. 20: St. Lawrence University’s softball team is off to a 2-1-1 start on its Florida trip after the first two days of competition.

 

The Saints opened the season with a 3-1 win over the University of Wisconsin-Superior, were beaten by Trinity College 16-2, but bounced back with a 13-3 win over D’Youville before playing Bethel to a 7-7 tie in nine innings in game four.

 

The game with Wisconsin-Superior was scoreless through four before the Saints scored two in the top of the fifth on a run-scoring single by Jessica Manderfield and a two-out single by Meg Richardson.

 

Wisconsin-Superior got one back off Saint starter Ava Pickering in the bottom of the fifth, but the Saints added an insurance run in the top of the seventh as Manderfield led off with a single and went to third on an error and a fielder’s choice, scoring on Pickering’s ground out.

 

Pickering allowed six hits and struck our four for her first win of the year.

 

Trinity jumped on the Saints for five runs in the first inning and while the Saints got two runs back when Melissa Pittelli, Richardson and Manderfield strung together consecutive singles and Nicole Bottego singled to center to drive in two, the bats were silent the rest of the way in the 16-2 Trinity win.

 

The Saints got another strong pitching performance from Pickering in their 13-3 win over D’Youville which was called after five. She gave up just four hits and struck out eight in the five-inning win and blasted a solo home run to spark a six-run third inning. Pittelli and Amy Atkins both went two for three in the game for the Saints.

 

Pickering came right back on the mound in game two on Tuesday and struck out nine in the 7-7 tie with Bethel.

 

Yralee Mendez gave the Saints a 2-0 lead with a run-scoring single in the second, but Bethel came back with three runs in the top of the third with the help of a couple of Saint errors. Pickering then shut the door for three scoreless innings and the Saint bats came alive against in the bottom of the sixth.

 

Manderfield reached on a one-out hit to left and Pittelli walked. Bottego ripped a triple to the right center gap and scored on Pickering’s grounder to put the Saints back in front.

 

Bethel went back in front on the top of the seventh on a hit and a Saint error for a 6-5 lead, but the Saints came back to tie it as Mendez walked, Julia Humphries sacrificed her to second and after Jenny Girard beat out a grounder to keep the Saints alive, Manderfield ripped a base hit to right to score Mendez with the tying run with two outs.

 

Bethel scored a run on two hits in the eighth in the tiebreaker, but the Saints came back with a run when Katie Dreher hit a line drive to score Pittelli with one out in the bottom half of the eighth. Neither team was able to score in the ninth and the game was declared a 7-7 tie under local rules for the Florida tournament.

 

The Saints are scheduled to play NESCAC teams Bowdoin and Trinity in games on Wednesday.