The Suffolk University Softball team had an offensive explosion as they swept the Mount Ida College Mustangs in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action on Sunday afternoon. Suffolk combined for 28 hits and 24 runs in the pair of games as junior Erin McAndrews (Marblehead, Mass.) drove in nine runs on four extra base hits, including two home runs to help pace the Rams.
Game One
Suffolk scored six unanswered runs in the bottom half of the sixth inning for a 9-6 game one victory. Trailing 6-3 to start the inning, freshman Meredith Ball (Nahant, Mass.) led the inning off with a single. After stealing second base, Brandt would come around to score on consecutive passed balls to start the scoring. Junior Nikki Cignarella (Norwood, Mass.) would then draw a walk and swipe second base. Freshman Brooke Brandt (St. Paul, Minn.) would knock Cignarella in with a base hit to bring Suffolk within one, before sophomore Nicole Rosa (Wallingford, Conn.) evened things up at six runs a piece with an RBI double. McAndrews connected on her third hit of the contest, a triple scoring a pair of runs to put the Rams up 8-6 before freshman Julia Ludvignsen (Dedham, Mass.) connected on their third consecutive extra base of the inning with hit an RBI double to cap off the rally.
Mount Ida jumped out to an early lead in their first at bat as they scored twice in the top of the first. Junior Devan Meeker (Bantam, Conn.) opened the game with a double to center. Freshman Cassie Durand (Dracut, Mass.) then plated the game's first run with a single. A pair of singles later in the inning would come before senior Meghan Moriarty (Holbrook, Mass.) drew a bases loaded walk with two outs for the Mustangs' second run for the quick 2-0 lead.
The Mustangs would add a pair of runs in the third inning. Junior Kirsten Guerrero (Fairfield, Conn.) scored on an overthrow on the following play after her double with one out. Moriarty would pick up her second RBI of the day with a single scoring sophomore Nickole Soto (Marlboro, Mass.).
Four Suffolk players had a multi-hit performance in game one. Aside from McAndrews' 3-for-4 performance, sophomore Sarah Chasse (Salem, Mass.) collected a pair of hits, while scoring twice. Ball also scored two runs for the Rams while she was 2-for-3 at the plate while Rosa accounted for four runs driving in a pair while scoring two times and going 2-for-4 with the bat.
Chasse earned the win on the mound for Suffolk, her second of the season. She struck out a pair in two innings of work while only allowing on unearned run.
Game Two
Erin McAndrews had her second multi-homer game of the season for the Rams in game two as Suffolk put out 15 hits as a team in the nightcap, none bigger than the junior slugger's grand slam in the second inning to put Suffolk ahead for good as they scored 12 unanswered runs.
Brandt would start off the Suffolk second with a hit by pitch, before back-to-back singles by Chasse and Rosa set the table for McAndrews. Her third home run of the season cleared the bases and put the Rams up 7-4 at the time.
Sophomore Alicia Gonnella (Bridgewater, N.J.) would add an RBI single later in the second inning for Suffolk as part of a 2-for-3 contest for her.
The first six batters in the Suffolk lineup would all record at least two hits in the game, while all nine players scored at least one run.
McAndrews connected on a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth inning as Suffolk scored seven times in the frame. Freshman Paige Stanley (Fairhaven, N.J.) and Sarah Chasse each had two-run doubles in the inning as well.
Mount Ida jumped out early in the contest with a 3-0 lead after their first at-bat. A single by Cassie Durand would drive in the first run of the ball game as the Mustangs had four hits in the inning. Nickole Soto also added an RBI single, while Meghan Moriarty picked up her third RBI of the afternoon with an RBI single.
Devan Meeker led the Mustangs offensively in Sunday's doubleheader as she was 4-for-6 combined at the top of the lineup with three runs scored in the two games. Nickole Soto also had for hits on the afternoon to go along with two RBI and a pair of runs scored.
Durand and Guerrero were each 2-for-3 in the nightcap while also scoring a run for Mount Ida.
Chasse earned her second victory of the afternoon on the mound in game two with four punchouts in 3 2/3 innings of relief.
Offensively for Suffolk, Chasse, Rosa and Ludvigsen and Ball each had four hits on the afternoon. Chasse and Rosa also scored four times each.
McAndrews' nine runs batted in brings her to a GNAC leading total of 32 on the season following Sunday's games.
Mount Ida falls to 10-19 overall on the year with a 4-14 mark in GNAC play. They will be back in action on Monday afternoon as they host a conference doubleheader with Simmons College beginning at 10:00am.
Suffolk improves their mark on the year to 9-21 overall and 7-11 within GNAC play. They will Lasell College on Tuesday afternoon in a rescheduled GNAC doubleheader after their games were rained out on Friday. First pitch on Tuesday will be at 3:00pm at Popoulo Field in Boston's North End.