STANDISH, Maine – Lindsay Pagano broke up a 1-1 tie in the sixth inning with a grand slam to send the third-seeded Suffolk softball team over the second-seeded St. Joseph's (Maine) Monks, 5-2, Thursday afternoon at Richard Bailey Field.
THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 5, St. Joseph's (Maine) 2
RECORDS: Suffolk (27-15) | St. Joseph's (Maine) (21-16)
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Monks quickly sat down the first two Rams to open the game, but Jaclyn Flint had other things in mind as the sophomore sent a rocket to left field to make it to second. Jill Pulek matched her classmates spot with an identical hit to left, bringing the runner in to give Suffolk a 1-0 lead early.
SJC leveled the playing field in the bottom of the third. The Monks snuck a run in before the Rams completed a double play to make it a 1-1 game after three complete innings.
After two scoreless innings, Pagano took advantage of all the ducks in the pond as the senior sent a shot over the fences to clear the bases. The first baseman's grand slam gave the Rams a 5-1 cushion in the bottom of the sixth.
Pagano's grand slam was a game-changer as the hosts tacked on one run in the home half of the sixth. Ali Yamakaitis came out of the pen to help Suffolk's defense get out of a bases loaded jam and the Rams locked up the 5-2 win thanks to an unassisted out by Pagano.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- Pagano's grand slam was the lone hit for the captain, who went 1-for-2 at the plate, and contributed four RBI and one run scored.
- Pulek brought in the other run for the Rams with the designated player notching a double for her lone hit.
- Ashley Zulla and Flint each 2-for-4 with Flint scoring one run.
PITCHERS PICTURE
- Taylor Holmes earned the win as the junior gave up just two runs on seven hits and four walks, while fanning three in 6.2 innings of action.
- Yamakaitis picked up the save with the junior tossing the final 0.1 of action.
- Kylie McFadden fell for the Monks. The starter allowed three runs on six hits and two walksk with two Ks in 5.1 frames.
- Kristal Smith ad Caitlyn King came on in relief for SJC. King dealt a scoreless inning, while Smith let up two runs on four hits in 0.2 frames of action.
NOTEWORTHY
- Pagano is the first Ram to knock a grand slam in the Jaclyn Davis era and first Ram to unload the bases in recent history.
POST-GAME PIC
COMING UP
Suffolk advances to the 3 p.m. game Saturday, May 6 at Johnson & Wales' Scotts Miracle-Gro Complex. The Rams will take on regular-season champion and the tournament's top seeded Wildcats.