CONWAY, S.C. - The Saint Joseph's softball team picked up a pair of wins Saturday at the Coastal Carolina Invitational as the Hawks avenged Friday's loss to Loyola-Chicago with a 7-0 victory this morning and followed with a 10-8 win over host Coastal Carolina in the afternoon.
Having gone a tournament-best 3-1 over the opening two days of play, the Hawks cap play Sunday versus Mount St. Mary's at 10 a.m.
Coming off a 9-5 loss to the Ramblers on Friday, Saint Joseph's (5-4) got a dominant performance in the circle from rookie pitcher Madison Clarke as she spearheaded the 7-0 victory. Allowing just six hits over seven innings and adding six strike outs, Clarke earned her third victory of the season and earned her first complete-game seven-inning shutout after posting a five-inning shutout Friday versus Mount St. Mary's.
With the Ramblers held at a distance on offense, the Hawks got their bats moving in the third and fourth innings, collecting a run in each to jump out to a 2-0 lead. Catcher Hannah Dionne singled home Nikki Alden in the the third, while a single by second baseman Sarah Yoos scored Brandi Harkness in the fourth.
Saint Joseph's combined for five insurance runs in the sixth and seventh to push its lead to 7-0. First Baseman Ashley Alden singled home Traneya White for the first run in the sixth, while Alden would come around to score in the next at-bat on a double by her sister Nikki.
A Yoos single tallied a pair of runs in the seventh, while a double by Ashley Alden scored Yoos for SJU's final run.
For the game, Nikki Alden went 3-for-4 at the plate with a RBI, while Yoos went 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Harkness, Ashley Alden and left fielder Melissa Ruf each finished 2-for-4 as the Hawks went 13-of-32 at the plate versus Loyola-Chicago.
Versus host Coastal Carolina, the Hawks used a six-run rally in the seventh to overcome a four-run deficit and got a highlight-reel diving catch from center fielder Isabella Picard for the game's final out to preserve the 10-8 victory.
Saint Joseph's jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the second on a single by Nikki Alden, and added three more runs in the fourth. Brandi Harkness plated Picard and Nicole Palase to make it 3-0 and came in to score on a double by Ashley Alden.
Coastal Carolina rallied for six runs in the bottom of the third though, knocking out SJU starter Niki Carillo as it opened a 6-4 edge.
Junior Anna Lauterbach gave up a run in relief in the third, but staved off more damage in the inning.
With runs in the fourth and sixth, Coastal Carolina entered the top of the seventh ahead 8-4 and three outs away from the win. The Hawks never flinched though as a two-run home run by Ruf led off the offensive explosion.
Following a Yoos single that scored Palase to make it 8-7, Nikki Alden picked up her second hit of the game, scoring Yoos and White to put SJU ahead 9-8.
A sacrifice fly by Dionne scored Ashley Alden to make it 10-8 and give the Hawks a little breathing room entering the bottom of the seventh.
Looking to preserve the win, Clarke came on in relief of Lauterbach to start the inning. After giving up a single to start, Clarke got the next batter to fly out, but issued a walk to bring the go-ahead run to the plate.
Clarke would get a strike out for the second out of the inning, but things didn't get easier from there as a single up the middle loaded the bases. One out away from a win, Picard came up with a spectacular diving catch near into the centerfield fence for the final out.
Lauterbach earned the victory for SJU, finishing with three strike outs in the relief effort, while Clarke picked up her first collegiate save.
At the plate, Palase was 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while Yoos was 2-of-r3 with a RBI and run scored. Nikki Alden and Picard each went 2-for-4 with Alden finishing with three RBIs and Picard scoring twice.
