Worcester, Mass. (April 19) -- Trailing in each game of the doubleheader, the Assumption softball team rallied in both contests to sweep visiting Saint Rose by finals of 7-3 and 12-6 at Marois Field on a rainy Tuesday afternoon. The Hounds trailed entering the fifth in game one, followed by a 6-4 margin entering the sixth in game two before pulling off the rally.
In the opener, the Golden Knights took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second after Kayla Kuiliema drew a leadoff walk and later scored on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly to right by Stephanie Gaska. After limiting Saint Rose to just one run on three hits in that inning, the Hounds tied the game in the bottom of the frame on an RBI single to center by Melissa Jalbert (Gardner, Mass./Gardner) that scored freshman Tanya Robidoux (Hooksett, N.H./Manchester Central) for the 1-1 score.
Saint Rose regained the lead three innings later with a two-run fifth inning. Olivia Reeves led off the inning with a triple to right and came home on the next batter as Jessica Butterbrodt singled to short to drive in Reeves. The Golden Knights chased Assumption starter Casey Halajian (Quincy, Mass./Archbishop Williams) in the inning with runners at the corrners, bringing in junior Jennifer Lowrey (Assonet, Mass./Archbishop Williams) in relief. Butterbrodt scored on a wild pitch in the net at-bat and the Golden Knights took a 3-1 edge heading to the bottom of the fifth.
The Greyhound offense came alive in the bottom of the inning though with four runs on five hits to take the lead for good. Assumption loaded the bases with one out, setting the stage for a two-RBI double to center field by sophomore Lauren Medeiros (Seekonk, Mass./Seekonk) to tie the game. Senior Amy Gordon (Seekonk, Mass./Bishop Feehan) gave the Hounds the lead later in the inning on an RBI sacrifice fly, followed by an RBI single to right by senior Marissa Palumbo (Worcester, Mass./Holy Name). Assumption added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth on RBI hits from Robidoux and Medeiros to account for the 7-3 final. Lowrey went three innings of scoreless relief, along just two hits with six strikeouts to improve to 7-6 overall. Nicole Traylor took the loss for the Golden Knights, allowing 10 hits in 4.1 innings with five earned runs.
In the second game, the Golden Knights again took an early lead as Saint Rose plated three runs on five hits in the top of the second. Assumption answered an inning later with a four-run frame to take a 4-3 lead. In the bottom of the third, Lisa Donato (East Hartford, Conn./East Catholic) drew a leadoff walk and immediately scored on an RBI triple to center from Robidoux to get Assumption on the board. Three straight walks following the triple scored Robidoux with the second run of the inning, followed by an RBI single to left by Palumbo to tie the game at 3-3. The inning continued to unravel for the Golden Knights as relief pitcher Sarah Arbogast later walked freshman Nicole Boris (Gardner, Mass./Gardner) with the bases loaded to score Medeiros for the 4-3 advantage.
Saint Rose wasn't done though as they answered back with three runs in the top of the fourth thanks to a two-RBI double by Reeves and an unearned run for the 6-4 edge. Assumption added a run in the bottom of the inning as Robidoux scored on an RBI single down the right field line by Medeiros, but the Greyhounds still trailed by the 6-5 margin heading to the bottom of the sixth.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Greyhounds tied the game on an RBI infield single by Medeiros that scored Robidoux and took the lead on a three-run blast to right by Gordon to take control at 9-6. Later in the inning, after Nicole Traylor came into the game to pitch for Saint Rose, Boris added a three-run homer of her own to make it a 12-6 final. Lowrey picked up the win again for the Greyhounds with three innings of hitless relief with four strikeouts. Arbogast took the loss for Saint Rose, falling to 1-7 on the season.
In the doubleheader, Robidoux and Medeiros each went 5-for-7 with a combined nine runs scored, while Medeiros and Gordon each had five runs batted in. Boris also had four runs batted in, along with a 4-for-6 showing at the plate by Jalbert.
Assumption improves to 20-13 overall and 14-6 in the Northeast-10 and has now won 11 of its last 14 games overall. Saint Rose falls to 7-20 overall and 3-13 in the league with the doubleheader sweep. The Greyhounds are back in action on Wednesday afternoon as the team is scheduled to travel to the University of New Haven for a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.
