FAIRFAX, Va. - The third seed Saint Joseph's softball team fell to second seed Massachusetts, 2-1, Friday at the Atlantic 10 Championship.
The Hawks (24-27) now move to the consolation bracket and will face sixth seed George Mason at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday in the double-elimination event.
The Minutewomen opened a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second as they took advantage of a fielding error by the Hawks. With a runner at first and two outs, Massachusetts' Ashton Wince blooped a ball down the third baseline that glanced off a Saint Joseph's glove and put a pair of runners in scoring position for the Minutwomen's Madison Gimpl. Gimpl delivered in the next at-bat with a two run single up the middle.
Saint Joseph's cut Massachusetts' lead to 2-1 in the top of the third as freshman Jancarla Herrera scored on a sacrifice fly by classmate Caela Abadie.
The Hawks continued to battle, but unfortunately stranded runners the next four innings as Massachusetts held on for the win.
In the circle, sophomore Ashley Ventura was the hard-luck loser as she allowed two unearned runs on three hits, while striking out two as she moved to 14-13 on the year.
At the plate, Abadie was 1-for-2 with an RBI, while seniors Madeline Brunk and Kaylyn Zierke, and sophomores Amanda Kulp and Stacey Mayer accounted for the other four Hawk hits on the day.
