Softball Erupts For 19 Runs to Split Skyline Opener With Purchase

CHESTER, N.Y. — Led by a 4-for-4 effort with three RBI in game two by Sarah Kampuries (Ozone Park, N.Y./John Adams), all nine St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) starters recorded a hit and rang out 16 hits in a 19-11 run-rule victory over Purchase College for their first Skyline victory of the season. The Panthers scored three runs late to take the opener, 6-3. 

The Basics

• Final Scores: Purchase 6, St. Joseph's 3; St. Joseph's 19, Purchase 11 (5 inn)
• Records: St. Joseph's (6-6, 1-1), Purchase (3-1, 1-1)
• Location: Chester, N.Y. — The Rock Sports Park

Game 1: Purchase 6, St. Joseph's 3

• The Panthers stuck first and plated three early runs in the first, knocking four hits with an Antonina Fiore, two-out, two-run single putting the visitors up 3-0.
• The SJC bats were silenced for two hitless innings before ringing out four hits and three runs in the third to knot the game at 3-all. Amber Wainwright (Taunton, Mass./Taunton) opened the scoring with an RBI single and later in the inning, Wainwright scored on a Kelsie Whalen (Florence, N.J./Notre Dame) single, that tied the game.
• Purchase plated a solo run in the fifth to take the lead for good and tacked on two insurance runs in the sixth on a Gabriella Carnevale homer.
• After Paige Csikortos (Rocky Point, N.Y./Rocky Point) drew a leadoff walk to open the seventh and Wainwright singled, the Bears brought the tying run to the plate with one out. The Panthers induced a fly out to bring two outs and Whalen to the plate, who drove the first pitch she saw deep to center, but was robbed of a game-tying home run at the wall to end the ball game.

Game 2: St. Joseph's 19, John Jay 11 (5 innings)

• Purchase got on the board first again, manufacturing a solo run without a hit in the first making the most of a leadoff walk from Lisa Kentris, followed by a pair of grounders sandwiched around a stolen base.
• The Bears then exploded for a huge nine-run second stanza, sending 14 batters to the plate in a seven-hit inning. Brianna Baglino's (Howard Beach, N.Y./St. Francis Prep) opened the scoring singling up the middle that scored Whalen who set the table with a leadoff single. Jessica Vento (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) later delivered a bases-loaded two-run single to the wall that put the Bears up 5-1 and subsequently helped knock the Panther starter out of the circle. Sarah Kampuries helped greet the new pitcher with a two-run single and Baglino belted a double to the wall, both knocking their second hits of the frame.
• SJC ballooned their lead to 13-1 after four more runs in the third with Wainwright, Whalen, Maria Gentile (Brooklyn, N.Y./Fontbonne Hall) and Kampuries all collecting RBIs.
• The Panthers bats woke up in the fourth and made the most of a Bear miscue to score six runs (one earned). But the Bears responded with three more runs in the bottom half, two coming from Wainwright, to take a 16-7 lead into the fifth.
• Purchase averted the run rule scoring four more in the top half of the inning, but couldn't stop the Bears bats as they continued to score runs in bunches, quickly loading the bases with no out and Finnerty and Csikortos drawing back-to-back walks followed by a Vento single to right that scored Nicole Quintana and ended the game early.

For the Bears

• Amber Wainwright extended her hitting streak to 11 games driving in a team-best four RBI on the afternoon with three hits and three runs.
• Sarah Kampuries batted a perfect 4-for-4 in game two with three RBI, two runs scored and a double.
• Hitting out of the leadoff spot, Paige Csikortos reached safely in all seven of her plate appearances on the day, batting 2-for-2 with seven walks, four runs scored and a stolen base.
• Jessica Vento drove in three runs and scored twice in a 3-for-5 effort in the nightcap.
• Brianna Baglino went 3-for-4 with driving in and scoring a pair in game two.
• All nine starters in game two finished with hit.
• Madison Erhardt (Baltimore, Md./Dulaney) picked up the win in the circle in game two working 3 2/3 allowing two earned runs, striking out two.

Next Up for the Bears

• The Bears conclude their opening weekend of Skyline play with a doubleheader against the College of Mount Saint Vincent on Sunday (Mar. 25) starting at 3 p.m. at The Rock Sports Park. Live stats will be available on SJCBears.com.