Softball Falls in Extras But Collects Skyline Win in Doubleheader Split With Purchase

PURCHASE, N.Y. — After dropping a 3-2 extra-inning decision in the opener of their Skyline Conference doubleheader with Purchase College, the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) softball team defeated the Panthers by the same score in the nightcap earn a key league win on Monday afternoon.

Freshman Amber Wainwright (Taunton, Mass./Taunton) knocked five hits on the day and drove in a pair of runs. Junior Theresa Armano (Middle Village, N.Y./St. Francis Prep) earned the victory in game two, while sophomore Victoria Mahoney (Allenwood, N.J./Saint John Vianney) closed out the victory with her first career save. 

Game Info

• Final Score: Purchase 3, St. Joseph's 2 (Game 1, 9 inn.) St. Joseph's 3, Purchase (2 Game 2)
• Location: Purchase, N.Y.
• Field: Purchase College Softball Field
• Records: St. Joseph's (14-8, 4-6), Purchase (6-10, 6-6)

Game 1: Purchase 3, St. Joseph's 2 (9 innings)

• SJC Starters: Simon (SS), Csikortos (2B), Wainwright (DP), Ferrigno (3B), Gentile (1B), Baglino (C), Rossi (LF), Marino (CF), Rancel (RF), Mahoney (P)
• St. Joseph's broke the scoreless deadlock with solo runs in the fourth and fifth innings to take a 2-0 lead. Kristin Ferrigno doubled to lead off the fourth, advanced to third on a grounder and scored the first run on a Brianna Baglino sacrifice fly. An Amber Wainwright two-out single with runners at the corners in the fifth brought home Stephanie Rancel who drew a walk.
• The Bears threatened for more in the sixth knocking three hits and loading the bases, but came up empty-handed and the Panthers took advantage of a Bears miscue in the bottom half of the inning to push across two unearned runs to tie the game.
• With the game knotted at 2-2, starting pitchers Victoria Mahoney and Nicole Fortuna matched each other with scoreless frames in the seventh and eighth. The Panthers loaded the bases with one out in the ninth and Lisa Kentris lifted a fly ball to center that was misplayed and allowed April Uhl to score

SJC Highlights

• Amber Wainwright batted 2-for-5 with a RBI.
• Stephanie Rancel (2-for-3) and Paige Csikortos (2-for-5) both recorded multi-hit games.
• Kristin Ferrigno finished 1-for-3 with a run scored and the only extra-base hit of the game with her double in the fourth.
• Victoria Mahoney went the distance in the hard-luck loss, falling to 9-4 in the circle. Working 8.1 innings, all three of her runs were unearned as she struck out five, walked four and scattered seven hits.

Game 2: St. Joseph's 3, Purchase 2

• SJC Starters: Simon (SS), Csikortos (RF), Wainwright (C), Ferrigno (3B), Baglino (DP), Quintana (2B), Gentile (1B), Marino (CF), Rancel (LF), Armano (P) 
• As in the opener, the Bears seized the early lead. St. Joseph's loading the bases in the first after Paige Csikortos was hit by a pitch, Amber Wainwright doubled and Kristin Ferrigno drew a walk and Brianna Baglino's grounder pushed the first run across.
• A Csikortos double in the third set up another solo run as Wainwright followed with a single up the middle that scored her from second and gave the Bears another 2-0 lead.
• The Bears made the most of leadoff miscue in the fourth with Stephanie Rancel belting a two-out double that scored Nicole Quintana for the eventual game-winner.
• Rachel Stockinger led off the sixth for the Panthers with a solo home run and a Lisa Kentris two-out single later cut the Bears lead to 3-2, but Victoria Mahoney took the circle in the seventh to face the Purchase 3-4-5 hitters and she shut the door on any comeback hopes, striking out the final two batters swinging to seal the split.

SJC Highlights

• Amber Wainwright recorded another multi-hit game knocking three hits, including one double, and driving in a run.
• Paige Csikortos and Stephanie Rancel both finished 1-for-3, their lone hits doubles. Csikortos scored twice and stole a base while Rancel drove in a run.
• Brianna Baglino drove in a run picking up RBI's in both ends of the doubleheader.
• Theresa Armano tossed five straight scoreless innings in the start and improved to 4-3 in the circle. She scattered six hits and two runs over six innings of work, striking out two and walking two.
• Victoria Mahoney notched the first save of her career, working a four-batter inning in the seventh, striking out two and walking one. 

The Bear Facts

• The game two victory snaps a five-game skid to the Panthers. Purchase leads the all-time series 15-13.
• The Bears are winners of four of their last five, seeing their four-game winning streak snapped in the opener.
• At 4-6 in league play, St. Joseph's sits just one game out of a tie for fifth place needing to finish in the top six to qualify for their first Skyline Conference Championship.

Next Up for St. Joseph's

The Bears will have several days off to rest before resuming Skyline Conference play against sibling rivals SJC Long Island (14-12, 10-2) on Friday, April 21 at the SJC Outdoor Complex. First pitch is set for 5:30 p.m. with live stats available on SJCBears.com.