Softball Drops Heartbreaker at Drew

MADISON, N.J. — The St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) softball team looked poised to halt their four-game losing streak carrying a 3-0 lead into the seventh of the opening game of their non-conference doubleheader at Drew University (10-18) but the Rangers scored four runs to steal a 4-3 victory and took the nightcap, 8-1, in a game stopped after five due to darkness.

Freshman Vivian Tomovich (San Diego, Calif./Serra) knocked a pair of hits in each end of the twinbill to lead the Bears (10-15) at the plate.

Game 1: Drew 4, St. Joseph's 3

St. Joseph's struck first with solo runs in the second and third. After a pair of one-out walks, Gabriella Salvador (Staten Island, N.Y./New Dorp) doubled in Jessica Mecham (West Jordan, Utah/Copper Hills) for the game's first run. Mecham delivered a two-out single in the third to push the lead to 2-0. Mecham scored again in the seventh on an error to push the lead to 3-0.

Victoria Mahoney (Allenwood, N.J./Saint John Vianney) held the Rangers to just two hits over the first six scoreless innings, but the hosts knocked back-to-back doubles to open the seventh and cut the lead to 3-1. Mahoney fanned the following batter, but a passed ball and an error saw the lead shrink to one with still no one out and another miscue later put two runners on setting up a walk-off, two-run double for Madi Precht.

Mahoney took the loss in the circle with only one of the four runs scoring earned and allowing five hits and three walks, striking out three. Tomovich and Salvador both finished 2-for-4. Mecham finished 1-for-1, collecting two runs, a RBI, and two walks.

Game 2: Drew 8, St. Joseph's 1 (5 inn, darkness)

The Bears knocked three hits over the first two innings, but stranded three on base coming away empty-handed, while Drew jumped out to a 4-0 lead scoring one in the first and three in the second.

SJC cut the deficit to 4-1 when Alexis Buchanan (Murrieta, Calif./Murrieta) knocked a two-out single in the third, stole second and scored on an error. But Drew responded in the home half doubled their run total to build an 8-1 lead.

After scoreless frames, the game was called after the completion of the fifth due to darkness.

Tomovich and Buchanan both compiled multi-hit efforts finishing 2-for-3, Tomovich also stealing a pair of bases and Buchanan stealing one and scoring once. Brianna Baglino (Howard Beach, N.Y./St. Francis Prep) also knocked a hit in a 1-for-2 game.

For the Bears

• Vivian Tomovich finished 4-for-7 over the twinbill, extending her hitting streak to five games.
• Ashleigh Hartwig (Santee, Calif./West Hills) saw her hitting streak snapped at a nine games.

Next Up for the Bears

The Bears will honor seniors Victoria Mahoney and Nicole Quintana on Senior Day hosting Sarah Lawrence College in a home game at St. John's University's Red Storm Field on Saturday (Apr. 13). Senior Day celebrations will begin at 11:45 am with game one first pitch set for noon. Live stats and video will be available on SJCBears.com.