March 18, 2011

Box Score Game 1
Box Score Game 2

VILLANOVA, Pa. - The Saint Joseph's softball team split its doubleheader with Dayton Friday afternoon at Villanova's Softball Complex. The Hawks took the opening game of its doubleheader, 3-0, but fell in the nighcap, 8-4, despite the 100th career hit from junior Bernadette Moran. Moran's single in the bottom of the first made her the 27th Hawks to reach 100 career hits.

In the opener, the Hawks jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Sophomore Dana Parks, who led off with a triple to center field, scored the first run on a RBI single by senior Laura Cardone. After advancing to third on two passed balls, Cardone came in to score the second run of the inning for SJU on a fielder's choice ground out by junior Monica Aguilar.

The Hawks (15-9, 1-1 Atlantic 10) worked out of trouble in the top of the third, catching the Flyers on a pair of base-running mistakes that got two potential scoring threats out and kept Dayton off the scoreboard.

Hawks' freshman Maria Ficca added her team's third run in the bottom of the third. After leading off with a triple, Ficca came in to score on a throwing error as the Flyers tried to get Parks out at first on a comebacker to the pitcher.

Junior Erin Gallagher improved to 10-4 on the season with the complete-game shutout, striking out five in the win.

In the second game, the Flyers sluggers came alive in the opening two innings, scoring three in the first and five in the second to jump out to an 8-0 edge.

Down to its final three outs, the Hawks prevented the mercy rule to be invoked, scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth. A double by Cardone scored Parks, while Cardone added the second run on a RBI fielder's choice by Aguilar.

A Parks' single in the sixth scored Rochelle Christman to make it an 8-3 game heading into the seventh.

Following a shutdown top of the inning by Gallagher, Christman singled home Aguilar to cut the deficit to four. The Hawks though would fail to rally and score four more though as the Flyers got comeback-line drive to the relief pitcher, Alysha Isaacson, to end the game.

Saint Joseph's returns to action Tuesday with a doubleheader at Villanova beginning at 2:30 p.m.