Lady Bears Claim First Victory Outside of Continental US Defeating UMET

GUAYNABO, PUERTO RICO – The St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) softball team notched the first win of their Puerto Rico trip defeating Universidad Metropolitana (UMET) 1-0 at Donna Terry Stadium on Wednesday evening.  The Lady Bears fell 10-1 in the nightcap to split the twinbill.

The opener was a pitching and defensive battle with both hurlers allowing a combined eight hits. The Lady Bears produced the game's only run in the third inning when senior Lisa Scheer (Bayside, NY/Mary Louis) knocked a two-out single to right center that scored Jackie Perillo (Howard Beach, NY/Archbishop Molloy) from second who led the inning off with a walk and stole second.

The Lady Bears threatened to add additional insurance runs in the fourth and fifth frames advancing runners to third in each inning, but unable to bring them across.

The one run was all starter Alyson Chiaramonte (Staten Island, NY/Moore Catholic) would need as she surrendered one baserunner through five innings.  UMET saw their best opportunity to score in the sixth inning, getting a runner into scoring position with one out and the number two batter stepping to the plate, but Chiaramonte shut down the threat with two straight groundouts back to her.  Chiaramonte improved to 5-3 in the circle, hurling her third shutout of the season, allowing only three hits and striking out four.

In the nightcap, which was an exhibition, the Lady Bears jumped out to a 1-0 lead on a Jillian Troise (Brooklyn, NY/Bishop Kearney) sacrifice fly, that scored Caitlyn Kakavas (Bayside, NY/St. Agnes) who led off the frame with a single. 

UMET got their first runs of the day posting four runs in the third inning, all coming with two outs.  After speedy slap hitter Noris Rivera reached base, the Lady Bears nearly caught her stealing at second, but the ball just popping out of the glove of Millicia Malvasio (Brooklyn, NY/Bishop Kearney) on the slide. Rivera advanced to third on a groundout, and Loumarie Laurido knocked the first of her four RBI, with a single that tied the game at 1-1.  Annette Cruz later doubled home Laurido for the eventual game winner.

UMET tacked on four more runs in the fourth inning, all coming unearned to starting pitcher Scheer as the Lady Bears committed three errors in the frame.   Scheer would take the loss giving up six earned runs on 10 hits and striking out four. 

St. Joseph's concludes their Puerto Rico trip with a doubleheader against the Universidad del Turabo on Thursday, April 5th starting at 6 pm.