May 13, 2011
Box Score
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - A four-run top of the ninth propelled the Saint Joseph's softball team into the Atlantic 10 Title game as the Hawks topped Massachusetts, 6-2, at the D.L. Phillips Complex. Saint Joseph's will face Fordham at 11 a.m. for the title game and will need to beat the Rams twice to clain the A-10 title. The game will be televised on tape-delay at 3:30 p.m. on the CBS Sports Network.
Enduring an overnight postponement, the Hawks and Minutewomen opened play at 9 a.m. Saturday and the Hawks quickly got their leadoff hitters to second and third. As has happened in previous days, SJU failed to score as Massachusetts' Sara Plourde worked out of trouble.
In the field, Saint Joseph's (31-15) kept Massachusetts at a distance. Sophomore Taryn Ashway gave up just one hit over the seventh and eighth, leading to the score tied entering the top of the ninth.
Junior Alaina Loguidice led off the inning with a single and moved to second on a single by classmate Bernadette Moran. Following a sacrifice bunt by Laura Cardone that moved the runners to second and third, junior Monica Aguilar drew her second intentional walk of the game, loading the bases with just one out.
Saint Joseph's offense came alive after that. Senior Dana Bieniek delivered a RBI single that scored pinch runner Maria Ficca from third. Sophomore Rochelle Christman followed with a RBI single that scored Moran.
Following a strikeout, senior Taylor Korpita singled to center field, scoring Aguilar and Bieniek to make it a 6-2 game.
Ashway made quick work of the first two hitters for the Minutewomen, but a single and a tough blooper that glanced off Cardone's glove put runners at the corners. Ashway wasn't phased, getting Kyllie Magill to pop out to Moran at second to end the game and earn her second win of the tournament.
The Hawks, coming off a 3-2 marathon 11-inning win over Charlotte earlier on Friday, jumped out to a 2-0 edge as junior Monica Aguilar hit her second home run off the tournament against UMass' Sara Plourde, scoring Bernadette Moran on the swing.
Third-seed Saint Joseph's maintained control as sophomore Taryn Ashway breezed through the opening two innings.
The second-seed Minutewomen struck though in the third and fourth with solo home runs by Lindsey Webster and Audrey Boutin to tie the score.
The game remained tied as Ashway kept the Minutewomen off the board though over the next two innings.
Lightning became visible prior to start of the top of the seventh. With the delay and potential thunderstorms for the remainder of the evening, conference officials decided to postpone the game until Saturday morning.
