Armano Raps Four Hits as Softball Falls in First Meeting With Sage

BELLEROSE, N.Y. — Sophomore Theresa Armano (Middle Village, N.Y./St. Francis Prep) slugged four hits in five at bats but the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) softball team mustered just three runs in a doubleheader sweep at the hands of The Sage Colleges, falling 14-0 and 14-3, both in five innings, on Sunday afternoon at Padavan-Preller Field.

The Basics

• Final Score (Game 1): Sage 14, St. Joseph's 0 (5 innings)
• Final Score (Game 2): Sage 14, St. Joseph's 3 (5 innings)
• Records: Sage (7-7, 4-0 Skyline), St. Joseph's (0-4, 0-4 Skyline)
• Date: March 20, 2016
• Location: Bellerose, N.Y.
• Field: Padavan-Preller Field
• St. Joseph's Starters (Game 1): Eddy (2B), Simon (SS), Quintana (C), Ferrigno (3B), Gentile (1B), Rossi (LF), Armano (P), Marino (CF), Rancel (RF)
• St. Joseph's Starters (Game 2): Quintana (2B), Simon (SS), Armano (DP), Ferrigno (3B), Gentile (1B), Rossi (LF), Eddy (C), Marino (CF), Rancel (RF), McGowan (P)

How it Happened in Game 1

• Sage struck early with Morgan Dunn's solo shot in the top of the first.
• Starter Katie Kovage held the Lady Bears at bay for the first two innings, setting the stage for a nine-hit, nine-run outburst by the Gators in the third. Katy Rimawi and Morgan Dunn capped the rally with back-to-back two-out run scoring doubles.
• Sage blew the game open in the fourth with four more. Jessica Adams and Courtney Laughlin both reached to start the inning before Jennifer Onwe cleared the bases with a three-run blast to left center. They would tack on one more to move up 14-0.
• Kovage tossed a scoreless fifth to cement a complete-game, five-hit shutout.

How it Happened in Game 2

• Morgan Dunn drew first blood again with a run-scoring double in the opening frame. Katie Kovage and Courtney Laughlin each tacked on RBI-singles in a three-run first.
• The Lady Bears struck back in the bottom of the first, plating their first two runs of the afternoon. Samantha Simon singled and then advanced to scoring position on a wild pitch, setting up Theresa Armano's RBI-double. Kristin Ferrigno followed with another double to bring Armano home, cutting the deficit to 3-2.
• The Gators pushed through two more insurance runs in the second and then erupted for four in the third and five more in the fourth to seize control. Morgan Dunn powered her second homerun of the afternoon in the fourth, this time a two-run shot.
• After surrendering two runs in the first, starter Katie Kovage kept St. Joseph's scoreless through the fourth. The Lady Bears tacked on one more in the fifth inning taking advantage of a Simon leadoff single, but Kovage delivered her fifth strikeout of the afternoon to seal the 14-3 victory and sweep.

For the Lady Bears

• Theresa Armano led the Lady Bears with four hits in the twinbill, finishing a perfect 2-for-2 in game one and 2-for-3 with one RBI and two doubles in the capper.
• Kristin Ferrigno and Samantha Simon each finished 3-for-5 on the afternoon. Ferrigno led St. Joseph's with two doubles and a pair of RBI and Simon scored twice in game two.
• Starters Armano (0-3) and Jamilynn McGowan (0-1) both got the starts in the circle and went the distance in taking the loss.

For the Gators

• Katie Kovage started both games, earning both victories to improve to 3-0. She fanned four in a five-inning, game-one shutout. In game two, she struck out five more, allowing three earned in the full five innings. Kovage also helped her own cause at the plate, connecting for four hits in five at bats and driving in five runs.
• Morgan Dunn produced a team-high two home runs and seven RBI on the day, finishing 6-for-7.
• Katy Rimawi slugged 5-for-8 and drove in five runs.
• Jennifer Onwe hit 2-for-6, including one homer and a team-best four RBI in game one.

The Bear Facts

• This was the first meeting in history between Sage and St. Joseph's.
• Kristin Ferrigno and Samantha Simon are both working on three-game hitting streaks.

Next Up for St. Joseph's

The Lady Bears welcome University of Maine-Presque Isle to Padavan-Preller Field on Saturday, March 26 for a non-conference doubleheader starting at 12 p.m. Live stats will be available at SJCBears.com.