The Suffolk University Softball team swept back-to-back Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) double headers this weekend at the hands of Albertus Magnus College and Norwich University.
Freshman Sarah Chasse (Salem, Mass.) had a weekend to remember on the mound as she was 3-0 for the Rams and added a save to help lead the Rams to four straight victories. Chasse finished the weekend striking out 30 hitters in 19 innings of work, while only allowing three runs and nine hits for the Rams.
Saturday Game One: Suffolk 4 Albertus Magnus 2
Suffolk took game one of their Saturday afternoon doubleheader with Albertus Magnus by a 4-2 score. Sophomore Samantha McGilvray (Brighton, Mass.) drove in a pair of runs with a single in a three run third inning for the Rams that proved to be the difference.
Sarah Chasse picked up her first win of the day as she threw a complete game effort, striking out eight hitters in seven innings of work, scattering four hits and two runs in the opener.
Freshman Nicole Rosa (Wallingford, Conn.) and sophomore Erin McAndrews (Marblehead, Mass.) each added RBI singles in the contest for the Rams.
Saturday Game Two: Suffolk 3 Albertus Magnus 2
Freshman Alicia Gonnella (Bridgewater, N.J.) brought the Rams back from a 2-1 deficit in the bottom of the sixth inning as she drove in a pair of runs with a double for the twinbill sweep for Suffolk.
Gonnella started on the mound for the Rams as she allowed two runs, one earned, in five innings of work. The lone hit that Gonnella would allow was a solo home run to lead off the sixth inning by Brittney Uriciuoli that would put the Falcons up 2-1.
The Rams would answer in the home half of the sixth as McGilvray drew a hit by pitch that was followed by a single by sophomore Nikki Cignarella (Norwood, Mass.). Senior Karina Bolster (Carlisle, Pa.) added a single that would load the bases setting the table for Gonnella's big hit that propeled the Rams to victory.
Chasse came in relief of Gonnella following the home run, as she cruised through the final two innings only allowing one base runner on a walk while striking out a pair.
Gonnella supplied all the offense in the nightcap as she collected three RBI when she knocked in a run earlier in the contest on a fielder's choice.
Sunday Game One: Suffolk 3 Norwich 1
Game one of Sunday's double header saw Sarah Chasse pick up her third win in as many games for the Rams as the freshman hurler dominated striking out 14 Cadets in a five-hit complete game effort.
Chasse also had the big hit of the game as she knocked in a pair of runs to break a 1-1 tie in the seventh inning with a two-out single.
Erin McAndrews connected on her first home run of the season in the sixth inning.
Sunday Game Two: Suffolk 5 Norwich 0
Game two saw Alicia Gonnella and Sarah Chasse combine for a five-hit shutout of the Cadets. Gonnella worked the first four innings of the game to improve to 3-3 on the mound for the Rams.
Chasse scored the game's first run in the third inning as she stole home to give the Rams the early 1-0 lead.
Some shaky Cadets' defense in the fifth inning would help the Rams go up by a pair of runs as junior Julie Riconda (Brewster, N.Y.) scored on an infield overthrow.
The Cadets would threaten in the bottom of the fifth as they started the inning off with back-to-back singles that would summon Chasse into relief to close the game out.
The freshman righty escaped trouble unscathed and once again cruised through the Norwich lineup racking up six strikeouts over the final three innings of work to earn her second save of the season.
Chasse finished the day striking out a total of 20 hitters in 10 innings of work.
Nikki Cignarella would add a ground-rule double in a three-run sixth inning for the Rams, who with the four game weekend sweep improve to 16-20 on the season, and 9-13 in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action.