CHICAGO – The Saint Joseph's softball team ran its winning streak to six games with a doubleheader sweep at Loyola Chicago. The Hawks won the opener 7-3 before claiming a 6-0 final in the nightcap.
With the victories, SJU is now 5-0 in A-10 play for the first time since 2015.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Hailey Malito led the offense for the day with three hits and five RBI, including her first career homerun. She reached base six times overall in the twinbill.
- Meghan Sinkus had four hits across the two games, including her first homer of the year.
- SJU did not allow a run in the final 10 innings of play.
HOW IT HAPPENED IN GAME ONE
- Down 1-0 in the bottom of the third, the Hawks came alive with two outs. Kayla Tauber doubled, followed by a walk to Sarah Cancila. Malito came up and delivered a double to left, plating both runners to make it 2-1 SJU.
- The Ramblers came back with two in the fourth, taking a 3-2 lead.
- Saint Joseph's forged ahead in the contest for good in the top of the sixth. Sinkus led off the frame with an inside the park homerun, evening the score at 3-3.
- Restarting the frame, three consecutive batters reached with Jenna Currie singling with Sierra Fretz and Hailey Peterson each drawing walks. Tauber grounded out to second, scoring Currie. After a walk to Cancila reloaded the bases, Malito drove home her third run of the game with a walk, pushing the Hawks lead to 5-3.
- St. Joe's got a pair of insurance runs in the seventh as with one out, Currie tripled and Fretz singled, making it 6-3. A Peterson double advanced Fretz to third where she stood when Kasi Loser reached on a fielder's choice, plating Fretz with the final run of the game.
- Marla Freiwald (3-3) was excellent in relief, She tossed the final 3.2 innings, allowing just two hits, walking none and striking out three.
HOW IT HAPPENED IN GAME TWO
- SJU wasted no time in getting on the board as with two outs in the first, Malito reached on a walk. Taking advantage of the opening, Riley York and Sinkus singled to load the bases. The Loyola pitcher uncorked a wild pitch, allowing Malito to make it 1-0 Hawks.
- Saint Joseph's tacked on in the third, loading the bases on singles from Malito, Cancila and York. Sinkus reached on a fielder's choice that was compounded by a throwing error by the catcher as two runs came across the plate. A sac fly by Currie brought home York for a 4-0 lead.
- Two more came across in the final inning as a Cancila double was followed by the first career homerun for Malito to make it 6-0.
- The offense was plenty enough for Taylor Trowbridge (5-4) who tossed her fourth complete game and second shutout of the season. She scattered five hits and struck out seven. The junior retired the final seven batters in a row.
UP NEXT
The Hawks wrap the series at Loyola with a single game tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. ET.