CHICOPEE, Mass. – Emmanuel softball extended their winning streak to six games on Saturday afternoon, completing a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) doubleheader sweep of the Elms Blazers in a pair of run-rule wins. The Saints improve to 11-19 (9-1 GNAC) with the win while Elms falls to 5-28 (1-14 GNAC).

GAME ONE: Emmanuel 13 – Elms 5 (Final/5)
The Saints wasted no time getting on the board, scoring six runs in the first two innings. An RBI single by senior Taylor Chelak and a sacrifice fly by first-year Molly Carnes gave the Saints a 2-0 lead. In the second, Emmanuel added four more runs, capped off by a two-run double by Madison Marks.

Elms fought back with four runs in the next two innings, cutting the deficit down to 6-4. But the Saints fifth inning came with seven runs, opening up a 13-4 lead. The scoring started with four RBI singles, including two infield singles and two singles to center field.

Later in the fifth, two more runs scored on a Blazers error, giving the Saints a 12-4 lead. The seven-run inning came to a close after a Marks RBI groundout gave the Saints a 13-4 advantage. Elms managed to score one run in the bottom of the inning, but the eight-run lead for the Saints produced a run-rule win for Emmanuel.

Chelak finished 2-for-3 with three RBI and three runs scored. Marks batted 1-for-3 with three RBI while earning the win in the pitching circle, improving to 6-8 this year. Sophomore Mia Fernandes went 1-for-4 with two RBI and three runs scored.

GAME TWO: Emmanuel 9 – Elms 0 (Final/5)
The Saints first shutout win of the season came in game two, as the visitors were on the board quickly, starting with a two-run double in the second inning by junior Christyna Winstead.

Emmanuel posted four runs in the fourth, opening the inning by scoring on a wild pitch, giving the Saints a 3-0 edge. Sophomore Francesca Pizzarella added an RBI groundout, increasing the lead to four. A Fernandes RBI double and Chelak RBI single capped off the four-run inning, boosting the lead to 6-0.

The Saints added three more runs in the fifth, setting up Saturday's sweep. An Elms error added to the Emmanuel lead while the run-rule win was set up by a two-run single by first-year Samantha Serio, giving the Saints a 9-0 lead.

Chelak batted 2-for-3 in game two with a triple and an RBI. Senior Abigail Farr and Winstead both finished 2-for-3, each adding two runs scored. First-year Lauren Peers took home the win, boosting her record to 5-8 in her first career collegiate shutout.

UP NEXT
The Saints return to Clemente Field on Tuesday, April 22, for a GNAC doubleheader with Rivier, starting at 5:00 p.m.