Softball Picks Up First Win of Season in Split with Gallaudet

WASHINGTON, D.C. — After their bats went cold in a game one loss, the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) softball team racked up 11 hits in game two to pick up their first win of 2018 over Gallaudet University on Thursday afternoon. The Bears held off a late Bison rally in the bottom of the seventh but held on as their record now sits at 1-1.

The Basics

• Final Score (Game 1): Gallaudet 6, St. Joseph's 1
• Final Score (Game 2): St. Joseph's 8, Gallaudet 6
• Records: St. Joseph's (1-1), Gallaudet (1-4)
• Location: Washington, D.C. — GU Softball Complex

How It Happened (Game 1)
SJC Starters: Vento (SS), Rancel (CF), Csikortos (LF), Wainwright (3B), Kampuries (DP), Gentile (1B), Baglino (C), Quintana (2B), Finnerty (RF); Mahoney (P)

• The Bears went down one-two-throw in the top of the first and Gallaudet capitalized, as an error gave the hosts their first runner who would later score on a Genesis Rodriguez single. Another base knock to the left side drove in GU's second run of the inning as they led 2-0 after one.
• SJC scored their only run of the game in the top of the third, as outfielder Stephanie Rancel (Middle Village, N.Y./Christ the King) reached on a drop third strike, advanced to second on a passed ball, and then went on to steal third. The senior would go on to score after a throwing error from the catcher and the Bears kept it close after three full, 2-1.
• St. Joseph's lineup mustered just one hit in the first contest that led to just one run, while the Bison tacked on one more in the fifth on another Rodriguez RBI, then sealed the deal in the bottom of the sixth with three runs on three hits and an SJC error as GU notched their first win of the new season.

How It Happened (Game 2)
SJC Starters: Csikortos (SS), Rancel (CF), Vento (LF), Wainwright (3B), Whalen (DP), Gentile (1B), Quintana (2B), Fielding (C), Finnerty (RF); Erhardt (P)

• Sophomore Paige Csikortos (Rocky Point, N.Y./Rocky Point) singled to start the game but the Bears failed to bring her around in the opening frame. GU once again opened the scoring in the first, taking advantage of two walks on a groundout RBI to go up 1-0.
• Csikortos began a two-out rally in the top of the third with a single to left and she would later come around to score on a Bison error to tie the game at one. Rancel, SJC's number-two hitter, was then driven in by last year's RBI leader Amber Wainwright (Taunton, Mass./Taunton) after reaching on a bunt single.
• The Bears padded their lead in the middle innings, tacking a run on in the fourth followed by a two-run fifth inning highlighted by back-to-back doubles from Wainwright and freshman Kelsie Whalen (Florence, N.J./Notre Dame) as Whalen picked up her first career hit and RBI. GU had an RBI double of their own, however, as Hailey Henshaw drove in two on a two-bagger cutting her team's deficit to 5-3 after five full.
• SJC's offense came up big when they needed it most led by a Nicole Quintana (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) RBI triple and subsequent run on a passed ball. Three more Bear base hits gave them another insurance run and they entered the final half inning leading 8-3. Henshaw tripled for another RBI as part of a three-run rally, but St. Joseph's held on for their first win of the campaign.

For the Bears

• Senior Megan Finnerty (Whitestone, N.Y./Archbishop Molloy) recorded the Bears' only hit of the first game finishing 1-for-3 at the plate.
• Junior Victoria Mahoney (Allenwood, N.J./Saint John Vianney) pitched six innings in game one allowing 10 hits, six runs (2 ER), and a walk while striking out six.
• Csikortos posted a solid 2-for-4 with a run scored, walk, and steal in game two while Wainwright finished 2-for-5 as well as an RBI and a run in the second contest.
• Sophomore Jessica Vento (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) tied for the team-high in RBI (two) with Quintana, as well as 1-for-3 performances from Maria Gentile (Brooklyn, N.Y./Fontbonne Hall) (R, BB) and Gabriella Fielding (Melville, N.Y./Half Hallow Hills) (R, BB, SB).
• Sophomore right-hander Madison Erhardt (Baltimore, Md./Dulaney) secured her first win of 2018 allowing eight hits, six runs (3 ER), and two walks while striking out three in a complete game.

Next Up for the Bears

• Day one of the Virginia Beach Blast taking on SUNY Potsdam at noon and Hunter at 2 p.m. on Friday (Mar. 9).