THE BASICS:

-Score Game 1: Assumption 11, Stonehill 4

-Score Game 2: Assumption 4, Stonehill 4

-Records: Assumption (4-9-1, 1-0-1 NE-10), Stonehill (4-9-1, 0-1-1 NE-10)

-Location: Easton, Mass. (Gartland Field)

-The Lead: Behind a multi-hit game by four Hounds, the Assumption College softball team earned an 11-4 victory over the Stonehill Skyhawks on Wednesday afternoon on the road. The Hounds were tied 4-4 by the Skyhawks in the bottom of the seventh inning of game two before the game was called for darkness.

*NOTE: Assumption and Stonehill completed Game 2 at Assumption on March 24. Stonehill scored in the bottom of the eighth inning to win it 5-4.

HOW IT HAPPENED - GAME 1

-Sophomore Kendal Roy (Grafton, Mass. / Grafton) started in the circle for the Hounds and set the tone for the rest of the game, striking out all three outs for the Assumption in the first inning. 

-In the top of the second, the Hounds took a 1-0 lead when a single from senior Christina Caira (Newton, Mass. / Newton North) scored junior Cassidy Colby (Charlton, Mass. / Shepherd Hill Regional), who entered the game to pinch run for sophomore Stephanie Menard (Cranston, R.I. / Cranston HS West). Menard reached base on a walk.

-Stonehill responded in the bottom of the second with a two-out RBI single from Emily Padilla. The Skyhawks had runners on first and third with two outs before Padilla scored Alison Sumski, who reached on a fielder's choice. 

-The Hounds put up three runs on two hits in the top of the third to once again take the lead, 4-1. Junior Cassie Schultz (Amesbury, Mass. / Amesbury) led off the inning with a walk, followed by an out and another walk from freshman Caitlin Mirabell (Shoreham, N.Y. / Shoreham-Wading River). Schultz scored when junior Ashley Abad (Bedford, N.H. / Bedford) singled and, after a Skyhawk pitcher change, Menard stepped to the plate with another single to score Mirabell, 3-1 Assumption. 

-A sacrifice hit from junior Ashley Clark (Pawtucket, R.I. / William E. Tolman) scored Abad to make it 4-1 Hounds heading into the bottom of the third. 

-Assumption increased its lead in the top of the fourth when sophomore Nicole Duplease (Leominster, Mass. / Leominster) led off with a single, advanced to second on a walk, third on a sacrifice bunt by Schultz and scored on a sacrifice fly to left field off the bat senior Kayli Moniz (Fairhaven, Mass. / Fairhaven). With the score 5-1, Mazzeo, who had walked, scored Assumption's last run of the inning for a 6-1 advantage.

-The Hounds added another in the top of the fifth to make it 7-1 when Abad led off with a double and scored on a no-out single from Menard. 

-In the bottom of the fifth, the Skyhawks scored twice to narrow the score to 7-3. Stonehill loaded the bases with no outs on three straight singles and scored when Megan Staudle singled to plate Taylor Lester. They added another on a sacrifice fly. 

-Assumption finished strong, adding four more runs in the top of the seventh to clinch the victory. Stonehill was able to add one more in the bottom of the frame for the 11-4 final.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS - GAME 1

-Menard led the Hounds at the plate going 3-for-3 with three RBI in game one.

-Mirabell and Abad both went 2-for-3 to help lead the Assumption offense. Mirabell crossed the plate twice while Abad scored three runs.

-Caira also tallied multiple hits, going 2-for-4 while Clark, Duplease and Schultz each added one.

-Assumption and Stonehill each posted 12 hits. The Skyhawks left 11 runners stranded on base, compared to four for the Hounds.

-Roy earns her fourth win of the season and improves to 4-2. She pitched 6.0 innings giving up just three earned runs and striking out three batters. Roy was replaced by junior Courtney Oliva (Vernon, Conn. / Rockville) in the seventh who recorded 1.0 innings, two strikeouts, no hits and one run. 

-Stonehill's Megan Ruonavaara takes the loss for the Skyhawks, giving up two hits in 2.1 innings while allowing four runs.

HOW IT HAPPENED - GAME 2

-The Hounds got out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first when Menard belted a two-run double to center field to score Moniz, who led off with a single, and Abad who reached on a Skyhawk error.

-The score remained 2-0 Hounds until the bottom of the fourth when Stonehill's Lianna Jordan smacked a solo homer over the center field fence with two outs. Senior Jess Underwood (Hudson, N.H. / Alvirne) struck out the next batter to end the inning with the score 2-1 Assumption. 

-Assumption increased its narrow, one-run lead in the top of the seventh. Mirabell reached base on a Stonehill error with two outs before Abad stepped to the plate and blasted a two-run homer to make it 4-1 Hounds.

-Stonehill rallied in the bottom of the seventh, putting up one run on a double by Jacklyn Oleksak to score Staudle, who had singled, 4-2 Hounds.

-The Skyhawks then pinch hit Cassandra Squeri who launched a two-run home run to tie the score, 4-4. The homer would have pushed the teams into extra innings, but the game was ended due to darkness. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS - GAME 2

-Abad led the Assumption offense in game two going 2-for-4 at the plate for one home run and two RBI.

-Menard also posted two RBI in game two and added one hit. Moniz and Clark also added one hit apiece.

-Stonehill outhit the Hounds 9-4.

-Underwood was looking to notch her first win of the season in the books in game two, but earns the tie after pitching 6.1 innings and allowing nine hits and three earned runs. Underwood also struck out two batters in the game.

-Junior Jurnee Serating-Ware (Hudson, Mass. / Hudson) relieved Underwood in the bottom of the seventh, pitching 0.2 innings and allowing no hits. 

-Stonehill's Sarah Ropiak pitched all 7.0 innings for the Skyhawks, allowing five hits and four runs, just one earned. Ropiak also struck out six batters and gave up one home run.

BEHIND THE BOX SCORES:

-Abad's home run marks her first of the season. The junior now totals nine for her career and is just five away from making it into the Assumption program record book (14).

-Abad is currently ranked third in the nation in walks.

-Roy kicked off the game with three strikeouts in the first inning. She now totals 17 on the season and 65 for her career.

-Underwood tallied just one strikeout in her first two games of the season combined, but has now totaled eight over her last three. 

-Duplease currently leads the Hounds with a .391 batting average on the season to go along with a .500 on base percentage and a .391 slugging percentage. Menard is close behind with a .372 average, followed by Abad with .361.

UP NEXT:

-The Hounds return to action on Saturday, March 19 as they travel to Adelphi for a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m. Assumption will follow on Sunday with a doubleheader at Pace before returning home to face Stonehill at home in a single game at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, March 22.

STAY CONNECTED:

-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. 

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