Lady Bears Split One-Run Contests With Mount Saint Vincent

YONKERS, NY – Freshman Millicia Malvasio (Brooklyn, NY/Bishop Kearney) knocked five hits including her first career home run powering the St. Joseph's College softball team to a split with Mount Saint Vincent, taking the opener 4-3 and dropping the nightcap by the same score.

Malvasio recorded the best offensive outing of her short career, tallying three extra base hits (two doubles, one home run), driving in three runs, scoring twice, walking once, compiling a 1.429 slugging percentage for the series.

Alyson Chiaramonte (Staten Island, NY/Moore Catholic) and Lauren Norris (Sunnyside, NY/Long Island City) collected three hits each, Chiaramonte driving in and scoring a pair of runs. 

In the circle, Lisa Scheer (Bayside, NY/Mary Louis) struck out nine batters and gave up three runs, improving to 4-4 for the season.  Chiaramonte earned her first save of the season, but took the loss in game two.

For Mount Saint Vincent (2-10), Marni O'Shea and Karissa Koerner led six Dolphins with two hits each.  O'Shea also drove in two runs while Koerner scored twice.  Megan Gonzalez threw both games in the circle giving up seven runs (two earned) and striking out 12.

St. Joseph's hosts City Tech Tuesday, April 6th, for a doubleheader starting at 5 p.m. at National Grid Softball Field.  When the teams met earlier this season, the Lady Bears prevailed in a pair of 14-0 victories.

Game 1 – St. Joseph's 4, Mount Saint Vincent 3

Mount Saint Vincent loaded the bases in the opening frame, but solid defense that forced a runner out at the home kept the Dolphins scoreless.

The Lady Bears came back to post four runs in the second frame, taking advantage of a two-out error that extended the inning.  Chiaramonte led the inning off with a double and the next two batters struck out.  Norris reached on an error that scored Chiaramonte.  Mabel Vargas (Ridgewood, NY/Mary Louis) singled and advanced to second on the throw to third, putting runners on second and third.  Malvasio then hit a three-run blast to left field, her first collegiate homer, and the eventual game-winning RBI.

Mount Saint Vincent cut the deficit in half in the third inning, scoring two runs on two-out singles from Koerner and O'Shea.  A home run by Lisa O'Shea in the fifth pulled the Dolphins within a single run.

St. Joseph's scattered five hits over the final five innings, but couldn't string anything together advancing only one runner past second base.

In the sixth, Scheer struck out the first two hitters in the lineup, leaving Dolphins on first and second.  Coach Carbone brought in Chiaramonte in the seventh to face the heart of Mount Saint Vincent lineup, and she retired the side in order to preserve the one-run victory and her first career save.

Game 2 – Mount Saint Vincent 4, St. Joseph's 3

St. Joseph's scored early again throwing up a three-spot in the opening frame.  Malvasio led off with her second double of the series and Danielle Marino (Maspeth, NY/Mary Louis) followed with a walk.  Scheer sacrificed to move both runners into scoring position and Chiaramonte delivered them home with a single.  Norris brought Chiaramonte home with a two-out single.

Mount Saint Vincent took the lead in the second reaching Chiaramonte for four straight hits before the Lady Bears retired their first batter on a sacrifice.  Samantha Reynolds delivered a two-run single to tie the game and Marni O'Shea hit a sacrifice fly to score the deciding run.

Gonzalez silenced the St. Joseph's bats allowing only three hits and shutting out the Lady Bears over the final six innings to clinch the Dolphins second win of the season.