Chiaramonte Hurls One-Hitter in HVWAC Sweep of Sarah Lawrence

BROOKLYN, NY – Sophomore Alyson Chiaramonte (Staten Island, NY/Moore Catholic) accumulated four hits, drove in four runs and tossed a one-hit shutout leading the St. Joseph's College softball team to a sweep of a Hudson Valley Women's Athletic Conference doubleheader, 10-0 and 11-0, over Sarah Lawrence College at National Grid Softball Field on Sunday afternoon in front of the largest home crowd this season as the team celebrated Family & Friends Day.

St. Joseph's improves to 19-8-1, unbeaten in their last six games, and 2-0 in the HVWAC while Sarah Lawrence drops to 0-8 and 0-1 in conference.

Chiaramonte improved to 10-3 in the circle tossing her fifth complete game shutout this season.  A lone hit in the fifth inning spoiled the perfect game bid.  The sophomore hurler tossed St. Joseph's first perfect game last year against Sarah Lawrence.  She also continued her productivity at the plate extending her hitting streak to 17 games.

Millicia Malvasio (Brooklyn, NY/Bishop Kearney) went 3-for-3 in the twinbill, scoring four runs, with an RBI, drawing three walks and stealing two bags.  Lisa Scheer (Bayside, NY/Mary Louis) had a pair of hits, including a double, driving in three runs.  Melissa Simo (Brooklyn, NY/Midwood) and Lauren Norris (Sunnyside, NY/Long Island City) knocked in three runs each while Jackie Marinello (Brooklyn, NY/Fontbonne Hall) and Andrea Sideli (Brooklyn, NY/Bishop Kearney) both scored a trio of runs.

In the opener, Scheer roped a double to center in the first to kick off a three-run inning, delivering Malvasio who led off with a single.  Scheer later scored on a throwing error on a pickoff play and Chiaramonte would walk and later score on a fielder's choice.

St. Joseph's added a single tally in the second on a Mabel Vargas (Ridgewood, NY/Mary Louis) single, then stealing second and advancing to third on a wild pitch, and coming home on a Gryphon fielding miscue.

Sarah Lawrence experienced difficulty finding the plate in the third issuing seven free passes, four coming with the bases loaded.  Caitlyn Kakavas hit an RBI single capping a five run inning that put the game out of reach.  The Lady Bears would tack another run in the fourth on a Chiaramonte single, her only hit of the game, preserving her streak, for the final 10-0 margin.

In the circle, Chiaramonte had another dominant outing, striking out 10, with all of the balls put in play slow grounders to the right side.  Chiaramonte's counterpart in the circle, Christa Sherburne-Law (Potsdam, NY) led off the fifth with a drive to right field that went for a triple and Sarah Lawrence's only hit.  Chiaramonte preserved the shutout striking out the remainder of the side swinging.  Sherburne-Law took the loss allowing 10 runs (seven earned) on nine hits with 11 walks and two strikeouts.

After all in attendance were treated to a delicious barbecue and a smorgasbord of dishes prepared by the families, the Lady Bears started the nightcap with a five-run first inning with Chiaramonte opening the scoring with an RBI double.  Later, Norris and Christina Girardi (Floral Park, NY/St. Francis Prep) drew bases loaded walks followed by a Simo two-run single to center.

Sarah Lawrence would struggle to find the plate again, with St. Joe's adding a combined four runs in the second and third frames, all coming on bases loaded walks.  For the game, the Gryphon hurlers issued 14 walks.

In the fourth, Chiaramonte roped her second double of the game, scoring Emily Palmieri (Staten Island, NY/St. John's Villa) who reached on an error and Sideli who singled, capping a 3-for-4 outing with three RBI and putting the St. Joe's up 11-0.

Vargas got the call in the circle, scattering three hits over four shutout innings, striking out seven with no walks, improving to 3-0 on the season.  Scheer came in to pitch the fifth, retiring the side in order for the combined shutout victory.

Rebecca Temerario (Lorain, OH) took the loss for the Gryphons allowing nine runs on four hits with 13 walks and one strikeout.

St. Joseph's concludes a six-game home stand on Tuesday, April 20 hosting former HVWAC rival College of St. Elizabeth for a non-conference twinbill starting at 5 p.m. at National Grid Softball Field.  When the teams last met, the Lady Bears captured a dramatic 2-1 extra innings victory in last year's HVWAC  Championship Game.