BOSTON – In a doubleheader of Boston colleges, the Emmanuel Saints and Emerson Lions split a pair of softball games on Thursday afternoon at Clemente Field, with the Lions taking game 1, 4-2, followed by the Saints winning game 2, 3-1. The split of Thursday's non-conference games moves the Saints to 2-10 and the Lions to 5-5.
GAME ONE: Emerson 4 – Emmanuel 2
The Saints struck first early in game one, starting the bottom of the first with an infield single by sophomore
MeKayla Poisson. After stealing second, Poisson scored the game's opening run after two wild pitches, helping the Saints to a 1-0 lead.
The scoring settled until the top of the fourth with Lions first-year
Avi Kuperman and sophomore
Caleigh Sheehan reaching with a pair of one-out singles. After a groundout moved Kuperman and Sheehan to second and third, a two-RBI single by sophomore
Izzi Shaffer gave the Lions a 2-1 lead. Shaffer later scored on another Emerson base hit, giving the Lions a 3-1 edge.
The Saints responded in the bottom of the inning, but were unable to take full advantage after loading the bases with no outs. The lone run of the inning came on a wild pitch that scored senior
Abigail Farr. Back-to-back strikeouts with two on in scoring position ended the threat, as the Lions held a 3-2 lead.
Emerson added insurance in the top of the fifth as a Saints error helped Lions senior
Grace Beaulieu score to make it 4-2. Sheehan, who made the start for the Lions in game one, retired the final 11 batters consecutively, after allowing the Saints run in the bottom of the fourth, closing out the opening game with a 4-2 win for the Lions.
Sheehan took credit for the win, pitching seven innings while allowing two runs on four hits with 11 strikeouts, improving to 3-1 this season. The sophomore pitcher added a 2-for-3 performance at the plate. Shaffer finished the game 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored.
Poisson, senior
Taylor Chelak and sophomore
Alexis Martineau all batted 1-for-3 while Poisson and Martineau accounted for the runs scored. Senior
Madison Marks pitched seven innings, allowing four runs, three earned, on seven hits, as the loss drops her to 1-5.
GAME TWO: Emmanuel 3 – Emerson 1
Only the second inning provided the offense in game two as the Lions jumped out in front with a 1-0 lead. Shaffer opened the inning with a single and advanced to third thanks to a pair of wild pitches. Senior
Ally Lacey produced a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Shaffer from third, giving the Lions a one-run edge.
In the bottom half of the inning, Chelak started with a leadoff double to center field, eventually advancing to third on a wild pitch. The Saints tied the game after a wayward throw by the Lions shortstop scored Chelak, tying the game.
After another error by the Lions put runners on the corner for the Saints, senior
Sammy Hayes stepped in a knocked a double into the right-center field gap, scoring first-year
Molly Carnes and Farr, giving the Saints a 3-1 lead.
With a 3-1 lead, Saints first-year
Lauren Peers was nearly perfect in the circle for the rest of the game, allowing one last hit, a top of the fourth single to Shaffer. From that point, Peers retired the last 11 batters in a row, lifting the Saints to a 3-1 win.
Peers threw a complete game, allowing one run on five hits, earning her first career collegiate win, moving to 1-3 this season. Hayes finished 2-for-3 in the second game with two RBI. Chelak also recorded an extra base hit, finishing 1-for-3 with a run scored.
Shaffer and senior
Jessica Gomez both batted 2-for-3, with a pair of singles for each. Shaffer added a run scored while Lacey recorded the Lions only RBI. Sophomore
Kate Regan threw 5.1 innings, allowing three runs, one earned, on five hits while dropping to 1-1 this year.
UP NEXT
The Saints face another Boston rival, making the short walk to Wentworth on Saturday, March 22, for a doubleheader starting at 11:00 a.m. The Lions also face another Boston opponent, hosting a doubleheader with Suffolk on Sunday, March 23, starting at 2:00 p.m.
