April 6, 2013

Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score

MERION STATION, Pa. - The Saint Joseph's softball swept its doubleheader from Atlantic 10 foe St. Bonaventure Saturday afternoon. The Hawks won the opener 6-0, and followed with an 8-4 win in the second game. And with a single in the sixth inning of game two, senior Dana Parks became just the third player in program history to reach 200 career hits.

Parks, who went 4-for-7 at the plate, joined Christina Kowalski '00 (253) and Kristen Luciano '97 (224) as the only players in team history with 200 career hits.

Originally scheduled to play at St. Bonaventure, the series was switched to Saint Joseph's due to unplayable field at SBU. Despite the site change, the Bonnies remained the home team for the series.

In game one, the Hawks took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second as Monica Aguilar scored on a sacrifice fly by Deanna Stinner.

Rochelle Christman upped the Hawks' lead to 2-0 on a leadoff homer to start the fifth, while Maria Ficca would score later in the inning on a RBI single by Melissa Ruf to make it a 3-0 game.

Saint Joseph's added three insurance runs in the seventh as Ficca scored on a RBI single by Dana Parks to open the scoring. Parks would then score on a RBI single by Nicole Palase, while Palase would eventually come around to score on a RBI off the bat of Sarah Yoos.

Six runs were more than enough for SJU senior pitcher Taryn Ashway. The Hawks' ace scattered three hits, while striking out seven in the complete game shutout victory to improve to 17-1.

In the second game, Saint Joseph's took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third on a RBI double by Parks that scored Maria Ficca from second. Following an out, Palase would drive in Parks on an infield single to second base to make it 2-0.

The Bonnies got a run back in the bottom of the inning as Christine Watson singled home Emily McDonough from second. Freshman pitcher Liz Mendez would keep the Bonnies off the board from there.

Saint Joseph's regained its two run lead in the top of the fourth as pinch runner Traneya White scored from third on a bunt by Stinner. With one out and runners at the corners, Stinner laid down a bunt, that drew in the SBU infield. On the throw to first, that eventually got Stinner, White broke for home and dove in head first ahead of the tag to make it 3-1.

Palase again struck for the Hawks, this time plating Ficca and pinch runner Kerrie Kortmann on a single with two outs in the fifth to give SJU a 5-1 lead. Palase, who advanced to third on a passed ball, would score on a single down the left field line by the Bonnies on a hit by Sarah Yoos.

A two-run sixth upped the Hawks lead to 8-1. Rochelle Christman scored from third on a passed ball, while Parks, who singled for career hit 200, scored on a fielding error off the bat of Ruf to give SJU a seven run lead.

St. Bonaventure would score twice in the sixth, but Ashway would come in with one out to slam the door on the Bonnies, retiring two straight in the sixth.

The Bonnies would add a run in the seventh, but Ashway would get out of harm to preserve the win.

Mendez picked up her fourth win of the season in game two, allowing just one run over five innings, while striking out three.

Individually, Palase led the way on offense going 6-for-8 at the plate in the series, driving in four and scoring twice.