Ferrigno Joins 100-Hit Club, Mahoney Fans Six As Softball Wins Season Opener in Split at Gallaudet

WASHINGTON — After waiting the entire offseason for her milestone hit, senior Kristin Ferrigno (Brooklyn, N.Y./Bishop Kearney) wasted no time knocking her 100th career hit in her first at bat of the season to help propel the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) softball team to a 10-2 victory over Galludet University in their season opener. Sophomore Victoria Mahoney (Allenwood, N.J./Saint John Vianney) struck out six and surrendered just two hits and two runs in the five-inning victory.

The Bears rallied from deficits of two and four runs in the nightcap, but couldn't complete the sweep as the Bison split the twin bill with a big fifth inning for an 11-6 win in game two.

Game Info

• Final Score: St. Joseph's def. Gallaudet, 10-2 (Game 1, 5 innings); Gallaudet def. St. Joseph's, 11-6 (Game 2)
• Location: Washington, D.C.
• Field: Gallaudet Softball Complex
• Records: St. Joseph's (1-1), Gallaudet (2-3)

Game 1: St. Joseph's 10, Gallaudet 2 (5 inn)

• SJC Starters: Csikortos (RF), Baglino (C), Wainwright (DP), Ferrigno (3B) Quintana (2B) Gentile (1B), Marino (CF), Rancel (LF), Simon (SS), Mahoney (P)
• Coming to the plate with runners at the corners in the first, Kristin Ferrigno wasted no time picking up her coveted 100th career base knock in her first at bat of her senior campaign. Driving a ball to the gap in right, she drove in the first of her two runs on the afternoon. A Maria Gentile single two batters later put the Bears up 2-0 after one and they never trailed again.
• In her SJC debut, Victoria Mahoney retired the first nine batters she faced and silenced the Bison bats all game with the exception of two hits in the fourth that spoiled the no-hitter and shutout. But the sophomore would fan six over five innings in a solid, complete-game triumph for her first collegiate win in the circle.
• The Bears broke open the game in the top of the fourth, erupting for six runs on six hits. Freshman Brianna Baglino led off the frame with an infield single and fellow rookie Amber Wainwright scored her with a triple, and Ferrigno plated her with double. A Gallaudet miscue put two runners on for Gentile who brought both home with a double that put four runs across without an out.
• Later in the fourth, RBIs from Samantha Simon and Paige Csikortos capped the six-run frame that put the Bears up 10-0.
• Wainwright (2 RBI, 2 R), Ferrigno (2 RBI, R) and Gentile (3 RBI, R) each finished 3-for-4 in the contest—each knocking an extra base hit—and combined for seven runs. Stephanie Rancel belted a pair of hits, the only other Bear to record multiple base knocks.
• Seven different Bears combined for 14 hits in game one and rookies Csikortos, Baglino and Wainwright all collected their first collegiate hits. 

Game 2: Gallaudet 11, St. Joseph's 6

• SJC Starters: Csikortos (2B), Rancel (LF), Ferrigno (3B), Wainwright (C), Gentile (1B), Marino (CF), Quintana (DP), Simon (SS), Finnerty (RF)
• After just a solo hit by Wainwright for either squad over the first inning and a half, Gallaudet drew first blood with two in the bottom of the second off a two-out, two-RBI single by Adele Fass. The Bears countered with two of their own in their ensuing at bat. Simon led off the third with a single and later scored on a Rancel grounder and Ferrigno belted a two-out triple to knot the game at 2-all.
• The Bison kept their bats going and scored three in the third and a solo run in the fourth to move up 6-2, before the Bears stormed back and pushed four across in the sixth to tie the game for the second time. After a Gallaudet miscue and a hit batter followed by a Rancel single loaded the bases, Ferrigno started the scoring with an infield single and another run came across on a passed ball. A Wainwright grounder later pushed Rancel across and Gentile brought Ferrigno home with a two-out single that knotted the game up at 6-all.
• The Bears momentum would be short-lived, however, as SJC committed two miscues to open the home half of the fifth and the Bison finished with five in the frame to stay on top for good.
• Ferrigno finished 2-for-4 with two RBI, a run scored and a triple to lead the Bears. Rancel, Wainwright and Gentile all had a hit with a RBI.
• Freshman Madison Erhardt took the loss in the circle pitching two innings in relief, allowing six runs (none earned) and junior Theresa Armano had a no-decision in the start, striking out three and allowing five runs over four innings.

Inside the Box Score

• St. Joseph's was flawless in the field in the opener while the hosts were plagued by five miscues that allowed seven Bears runs to come in unearned.
• However, the Bears committed four errors in game two that allowed six of the 11 runs come unearned, including all five in the decisive 5th inning.
• Ferrigno led all Bears with five hits on the afternoon and four RBI. Gentile also drove in four runs on the day finishing with three hits.
• Wainwright had a solid debut with four hits and three RBI. Csikortos also had a strong showing atop the lineup with three runs scored, two hits and two stolen bases.

The Bear Facts

• The Bears won their season opener for the first time in 2010 and just the fourth time in the 16-year history of the program.
• Ferrigno becomes the 15th player in team history to join the 100-hit club reaching the mark in 102 games played and 288 at bats.
• It was the first meeting against Gallaudet since the 2009 season, with the Bears prevailing 10-1 over the Bison in the Gallaudet Invitational Tournament, in the other other encounter between the two squads. 

Next Up for St. Joseph's

The Bears continue south to Virginia Beach to compete in the Beach Blast Softball Tournament hosted by Virginia Wesleyan College. St. Joseph's will face SUNY Cobleskill and Notre Dame College of Maryland tomorrow starting at 2 p.m.