Worcester, Mass. (April 28) -- The Assumption College softball season came to a close on a sunny Tuesday afternoon as the Hounds fell in a close match-up against the Saint Anselm Hawks in the first round of the 2015 Northeast-10 Conference Championships. As the third seed, the Hounds (21-16, 13-9 NE-10), hosted the fourth-seeded Hawks (12-11, 12-9 NE-10).

All of the Hawks' runs came in just one inning, the sixth, as Assumption eventually fell by a score of 3-0.

Freshman Kendal Roy (Grafton, Mass. / Grafton) started the game in the circle for the Hounds, pitching 5.1 innings while giving up 10 hits and three runs. The freshman also tallied four strikeouts to reach 48 for her inaugural season. Roy wraps up her first campaign with an 11-7 overall record and a 2.50 ERA.

Roy was relieved by sophomore Courtney Oliva (Vernon, Conn. / Rockville) who logged 1.2 innings in her 17th appearance of the season to close the game with just one hit.

Both teams' defenses were relentless throughout the first three innings and held off any scoring all the way through five. 

The Hawks threatened in the top of the fourth when Pattie Turner led off with a single through the left side and advanced all the way to third on a sacrifice bunt from Hannah Byrne and a one-out single from Kasey Moran. A pop-up and a fly-out stranded two runners on base and got the Hounds out of the jam.

In the bottom of the frame, the Hounds nearly notched their first run when sophomore Ashley Clark (Pawtucket, RI / Tolman) led off with a single just past the Hawk second-baseman and moved to third on a Jess DiPilato (Worcester, Mass. / Holy Name) groundout and a two-out single to second from sophomore and NE-10 First Team selection Ashley Abad (Bedford, N.H. / Bedford). 

With runners on first and third, freshman Stephanie Menard (Cranston, R.I. / Cranston HS West) was hit on the elbow by an inside pitch to load the bases with two outs. Senior Andrea Crowley (Norfolk, Mass. / Ursuline Academy) worked pitcher Tayla Trask into a two-out, full-count situation before fouling off a high pitch and ultimately striking out to close the inning, still 0-0.

Saint Anselm got on the board and took the lead in the top of the sixth when, with one out, back-to-back hits drove in two runs. A double to left center from Megan Murrell followed by a single to short from Shannon McLaughlin scored Hannah Byrne, who had singled, and Murrell for a 2-0 advantage. A Greyhound error with two outs allowed the final run to score for the 3-0 lead and eventual final.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Hounds looked to be headed for a comeback when Crowley led off with a clutch single just out of reach of the Hawk first baseman for her first hit of the day. Head coach Ralph DeLucia replaced Crowley with freshman pinch runner Marissa Gifford (North Attleboro, Mass. / North Attleboro) before a single from junior Christina Caira (Newton, Mass. / Newton North) placed runners on first and second with just one out.

Two straight groundouts wrapped up the game for the Hounds, stranding Gifford and Caira on base in the final stanza.

The Hounds posted seven hits compared to 11 for Saint Anselm. Abad led the Assumption offense, going 3-for-3 at the plate while Crowley, Caira, Clark and senior Ashley Impagliazzo (Glocester, R.I. / LaSalle Academy) each added a hit on the day.

Tayla Trask earned the win for the Hawks, posting eight strikeouts and allowing seven hits in seven innings.

The contest concludes competition for the Greyhounds in 2015. For the latest on Assumption College Athletics, follow the Hounds via social media on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. For more information, contact the Office of Athletic Communications at 508-767-7240.