Softball Closes Myrtle Trip With Pair of 6-1 Victories over Lycoming and Franciscan

NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — The St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) softball team defeated Lycoming College and Franciscan University of Steubenville by equal 6-1 margins on Monday afternoon. The Bears wrap up their season-opening trip at the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic and return to Brooklyn with a 4-1 mark.

Ashleigh Hartwig (Santee, Calif./West Hills) and Bella Hurtado (San Diego, Calif./Olympian) led the Bears at the plate both knocking five hits with three RBI. Briana Kilimet (Valley Stream, N.Y./Sacred Heart Academy) and Autumn Poppett (San Diego, Calif./Mission Hills) both went the distance in the circle for the win.

St. Joseph's 6, Lycoming 1

The Bears got on the board early with three runs in the first. Bella Gomez (Whittier, Calif./Sonora) led off the game with a double and later scored on a Hartwig double. The Bears plated two more when Hurtado stole second and came all the way around to score on a throwing error with Hartwig also scoring on the play.

After Hartwig and Hurtado both knocked hits in the third, Nicole Trani (Staten Island, N.Y./Moore Catholic) laced a single to center to bring home Hartwig for a 4-0 lead.

Hartwig's double in the fifth set up Trani for a two-out knock down the left field line. Sofia Logreco delivered Trani with a RBI single up the middle to push the Bears lead to 6-0.

Kilimet tossed five scoreless innings and worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the third. Lycoming (0-1) spoiled the shutout in the sixth after a triple and a single, but that would be the only blemish on Kilimet's line as she went the distance for her first win of the season finishing with five strikeouts.

Hartwig batted 3-for-4 with two doubles, scoring three times, and driving in a run. Hurtado also finished 3-for-4 with a run scored and two stolen bases. Trani went 2-for-2 with two RBI, a run scored, and a walk.

St. Joseph's 6, Franciscan 1

The Bears posted three in the first for the second-straight game and knocked the Baron starter out of the circle. A wild pitch scored Gomez, who led off the game with a walk, for the game's first run. Hurtado then delivered a two-run double for a 3-0 lead.

The Barons (0-2) threatened in the bottom of the first, but the Bears defense held strong, gunning down a runner at the plate to end the inning.

After Gomez led off the second with a double, Hurtado later delivered a two-out single to bring her home for a 4-0 lead.

Franciscan threatened in the third loading the bases with one out, but newly-named Skyline Pitcher of the Week Poppett worked out of the jam inducing a popup and grounder.

Hartwig delivered solo runs in both the fourth and sixth innings with timely two-out singles, extending the SJC cushion to 6-0.

After 10 scoreless innings to start her career, Poppett surrendered a lone run in the sixth and worked a 1-2-3 inning to close out her first seven-inning complete game. Poppett improved to 2-0 in the circle, striking out three, and scattering nine hits -- none for extra bases.

Hurtado finished 2-for-4 with three RBI and a double. Hartwig went 2-for-3 with two RBI, a run scored, a walk, and stolen base. Gomez also went 2-for-3 with three runs scored, two doubles and a stolen base. Heinsch finished 2-for-4 with a pair of runs and stolen bases.

For the Bears

• Hartwig was the lone Bear to hit in all five games finishing the series in Myrtle with a .615 average (8-for-13)  She also drove in a run in the last four contests and scored a team-high nine times.
• Rookie Hurtado led the Bears with nine hits and six RBI over the five-game stretch.

Next Up

The Bears return to Brooklyn and host Baruch College on Sunday, March 20 for a home-opening doubleheader scheduled for noon. Live stats and video will be available on SJCBears.com/live.