CLERMONT, Fla. – Saints softball picked up its first win of the 2026 campaign on Tuesday afternoon, needing to come back from three runs down in the seventh against Chatham to secure victory. The Saints are now 1-5 after six games at THE Spring Games.
GAME ONE: Allegheny 3 – Emmanuel 1
Emmanuel had the lead in the early going in game one, scoring in the first inning to hold a 1-0 edge. With two runners on and one out, sophomore Grace Garon knocked an RBI single into left. Unable to take advantage of two on with one out, the Saints left a pair of runners on base in the opening inning.
The Saints had more chances in the second, loading the bases with one out. But a force out at home on a fielder's choice and a groundout left the bases loaded and Emmanuel holding the slim one-run edge.
That lead held until the top of the fifth as a Gators sacrifice fly by Samantha Phillips tied the game at 1-1. Later in the inning, a two-out, RBI double into the right-center gap by Rachel Seneca gave Allegheny their first lead of the morning, 2-1.
Allegheny added an insurance tally in the seventh, thanks to the help of Abby Robinson, leading off the inning with a double. After advancing to third on a groundout, Robinson was knocked in on a sacrifice fly by Seneca, giving the Gators a 3-1 edge.
The Saints finished with seven hits, all singles, including 2-for-4 games at the plate for Garon and junior Francesca Pizzarella. Rookie pitcher Carmen Crockett pitched a complete game, allowing three runs, one earned, on eight hits, with five strikeouts.
For the Gators, Robinson finished 2-for-4 at the plate, with two runs scored. Seneca batted 1-for-3 with a pair of RBI. Pitcher Madison Hulse got Allegheny their first win, pitching a complete game while allowing one earned run on seven hits to go with two strikeouts.
GAME TWO: Emmanuel 7 – Chatham 6 (Final / 8 Innings)
The Saints got their first win of the season in Tuesday's second game, needing extra innings to secure the victory.
Emmanuel trailed 5-2 entering the seventh and started their rally with a pinch-hit double by first-year Rylee Smith. An infield base hit and a bunt single loaded the bases, as a sacrifice fly scored Smith, as the Saints trailed 5-3. After a foul out put the Cougars one out away from winning, sophomore Sydney Taylor knocked a two-run double into the right-center field gap, tying the game at 5-5.
In the top of the eighth with the international tiebreaker, first-year Caleigh Venuti opened the inning with an RBI double into left field, scoring senior Emely Rodriguez. The Saints added another run on a squeeze bunt, which scored Venuti from third, lifting Emmanuel to a 7-5 lead.
In the Cougars half of the eighth, Chatham cut the deficit to one with the help of a pair of wild pitches, which scored Gaby McTavis, as the Cougars trailed 7-6. A walk, combined with a wild pitch and a passed ball, put the tying run at third base, but Saints first-year pitcher Carmen Crockett closed down the game with a strikeout and a pop-up to second base, giving Emmanuel the one-run win.
Junior MeKayla Poisson finished 3-for-5, all singles with a run scored. Vetuni, Pizzarella, and junior Mia Fernandes all had two hits, with Fernandes adding a triple in the second.
UP NEXT
The Saints have Wednesday off and return to play on Thursday, March 5, with games against Neumann and Susquehanna.
