Portland, MA - For the second time this week, Suffolk University Softball dropped game one of a GNAC double header and then came back to win the second game, this time as they split with the Monks of Saint's Joseph's College on Saturday. Senior Marie Trainor (Winthrop, MA) had five hits total on the day, and senior Jess Ferreira (Cambridge, MA) knocked in five runs, belting two home runs in both games as the Rams dropped game one, 9-6, but took game two, 7-1.
Game 1
The Monks came out quick in game one scoring three runs in the first inning. Senior Alysn Ludwig (Waldoboro, ME) got the game started with a triple. After an infield single, freshman Emily Leverone (Hampton, NH) connected on a 3-run homer to give the Monks a quick 3-0 before the Rams had even recorded an out. St. Joseph's added two more runs in the second inning as Willis singled in a pair of runs.
Suffolk got on the board in the third as Marie Trainor doubled home junior Valerie Liberatore (Chelsea, MA) to make it 5-1. Freshman Karina Bolster (Carlisle, PA) hit the first home run of her collegiate career to lead off the fourth to cut the Monks' lead to three runs.
St. Joseph's came back in the bottom half of the fourth adding four more runs to put the game out of reach. The Monks started the inning with three consecutive singles and then would piece together runs taking advantage of a walk, infield error, wild pitch and would use a sacrifice fly to put their runs in the inning across.
The Rams put four runs of their own across in the top of the seventh as Jess Ferreira hit a grand slam. Junior Erin O'Donnell (Groton, MA), sophomore Monica Cioffi (East Boston, MA) and Trainor all singled to load the bases for Ferreira, who blasted her fourth home run this weekend, and eighth on the season. Seniors Rebecca Schalit (Miami, FL) and Kellie Hurlock (East Lyme, CT) followed up the blast with singles, which brought the tying run to the plate with two outs. Freshman Cali Loura (Farmington, CT) made the final out of the game hit a liner to short to end the Suffolk threat.
Trainor finished game one with four hits, while Hurlock had two hits.
Game 2
The Rams put up four runs in the first, to cruise to a 7-1 victory in game two of the double header. Marie Trainor and Jess Ferreira hit back to back singles, before Karina Bolster was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Rebecca Schalit then followed that up singling home the game's first run. Kellie Hurlock then drove in two more Rams' runners with a double. Cali Loura then singled in another run to give the Rams the 4-0 lead before the Monks came to the plate.
Ferreira led the fifth inning off homering for the second time of the day. Loura would add RBI singles in both fifth and seventh innings. Freshman Carissa Roche (Swampscott, MA) cruised in picking up her fifth win of the season. Roche allowed six hits over seven innings, striking out three.
The Rams will be in action again on Tuesday as they take on Emmanuel College in a GNAC double header. First pitch will be at 4:00 pm.