MERION STATION, Pa. - Slugging a combined eight home runs over two games, Saint Joseph's softball team swepts its Atlantic 10 opening doubleheader versus Rhode Island on Sunday. The Hawks won the opener 14-6 in six innings and posted a 9-3 win in game two to move to 15-6 overall and 2-0 in conference play.
In game one, the Hawks offense blasted their way past the Rams. Scoring a run in every inning, Saint Joseph's picked up 10 hits, including five home runs, in its 14-6 win.
Left fielder Melissa Ruf got SJU on the board in the bottom of the first with a two-run home run.
The Rams picked up a pair of runs in the top of the second to tie the game, but Madeline Brunck scored on a double steal attempt in the bottom of the inning to give the Hawks the lead again, 3-2.
A solo home run by third baseman Brandi Harkness made it 4-2 in the third, but the Rams rallied for four runs in the top of the fourth to take a 6-4 edge.
Saint Joseph's answered back though in the bottom half of the fourth, exploding for six runs to open a 10-6 lead. Brunck smacked a two-run homer that scored Isabella Picard for the first runs of the inning, while second baseman Sarah Yoos followed up a Harkness walk with a two-run home run of her own. After walking first baseman Ashley Alden, her sister, Nikki Alden, made the Rams pay with a two-run homer to put the Hawks ahead 10-6.
Rookie pitcher Madison Clarke held Rhode Island's bats in check after the fourth inning, allowing her teammates to continue to add to the lead.
Brunck scored the 11th run of the game off a throwing error on a fielder's choice, while Nicole Palase came in to score off a RBI single by Yoos. Harkness would score the inning's third run as the Hawks attempted a double steal. With Yoos taking off for second, the Rams through down, allowing Harkness to dash in to score from third on a steal of home.
Clarke kept Rhode Island off the board in the sixth, as SJU struck for the final run of the game in the bottom of the sixth. Leading off the inning with a walk, Traneya White advanced to second on a single by Ruf and then a walk by Harkness. With one out and the bases loaded, SJU's Palase fouled out to first base, but White caught the Rams' defense as she broke from home and dashed in to score the game-winning run.
For the game, Brunck went 4-for-5 with four runs scored and two RBIs. Yoos was 3-for-4 with three RBIs and a run scored, while Harkness finished 1-for-1 with three walks and three runs scored.
Clarke improved to 11-2 on the season as she went all six innings, allowing five earned runs on 10 hits, while striking out one in the victory.
Falling behind 1-0 in third inning of game two, Saint Joseph's rebounded in the fourth as the Hawks struck for six runs.
Pinch running for Harkness off a leadoff walk, White promptly stole second and came around to score on a double by Palase to tie it at 1-1. Yoos followed with a double, scoring Palase to make it a 2-1 lead in favor of the Hawks.
After being walked in every at-bat of game one, Ashley Alden made the Rams pay with a two-run home run to push the lead to 4-1.
The Hawks added their final two runs courtesy of a sacrifice fly by Ruf and a RBI single by Palase.
Saint Joseph's added three more runs in the sixth thanks to a solo home run from Palase and a two-run homer from Ashley Alden.
Rhode Island would add a run in the seventh, but Nikki Alden didn't allow any more damage in earning her second win of the season in complete-game fashion. Alden allowed three runs on seven hits in her first career home contest.
Palase finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored in game two, while Ashley Alden was 2-for-3 with four RBIs.
Saint Joseph's returns to action on Wednesday when it hosts Saint Peter's in a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m.
