Monday, April 8
North Andover, Mass.
3:00 PM
Sacred Heart
15-18, 9-2
4
at
2
Merrimack
12-22, 6-4
1st innning1
2nd innning2
3rd innning3
4th innning4
5th innning5
6th innning6
7th innning7
8th innning8
RunsR
HitsH
ErrorsE
Sacred Heart
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
2
4
9
0
Merrimack
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
4
1
Photo by: Greg Vasil
Softball Takes 4-2 Extra-Inning Win in Rubber Match at Merrimack
4/8/2024 6:37:00 PM | Softball
SHU moves to 9-2 in conference play, matching last year’s NEC win total
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – For the second time in as many days, the Sacred Heart University softball team used some late-game heroics to earn an extra-inning victory over Merrimack in Northeast Conference (NEC) play. SHU scored two runs in the top of the eighth inning to seal a 4-2 road victory, clinching a series win for the Pios and improving their league record to 9-2.
Team Records:
Sacred Heart (15-18, 9-2 NEC)
Merrimack (12-22, 6-4 NEC)
SHU 4, Merrimack 2 (8 inn.)
Pitchers:
Sam Kowalski (SHU) – (W, 8.0 innings pitched, 2 earned run, 7 strikeouts, 9-8 record)
Madie Fornwalt (MC) – (L, 7.1 innings pitched, 3 earned runs, 7 strikeouts, 6-7 record)
Cecelia Imbimbo (MC) – (0.2 innings pitched, 0 earned runs, 1 strikeout)
Top Performers:
Carly Koltko (SHU) – 2-3, 1 RBI, 2 walks, 1 double
Victoria LoPinto (SHU) – 2-4, 1 RBI, 1 triple, 1 walk
Nicole Henke (SHU) – 1-3, 1 run, 1 RBI, 1 double
Of Note:
The Warriors recorded all the run production in the first four innings, taking a 2-0 lead in the first.
SHU started its comeback in the fifth, plating its first run off the bat of Carly Koltko. The hot-hitting junior blasted an opposite-field rocket to right field that caught the wall, allowing Cierra Bender to easily score on a stand-up double.
Trailing 2-1 in the sixth, the Pioneers evened the score at deuces with a two-out single from Victoria LoPinto. With runners on the corners, LoPinto sent one right back up the middle to plate a pinch-running Sydney Hess to tie the game.
After a scoreless seventh, SHU went to extra innings for the second time this series against the Warriors. Like in the Pios' opening win yesterday, Sacred Heart jumped on Merrimack in the eighth. Charlene Davis worked a leadoff walk before stealing second and scoring on a Nicole Henke double. LoPinto added an insurance run in the next at-bat with a cracking triple to right center that plated Henke from second.
With the lead for the first time this afternoon, Sam Kowalski earned her second consecutive victory over the Warriors with a 1-2-3 eighth. Kowalski didn't allow a run after the first, finishing the series with 19 strikeouts over 16.0 innings. She improved to 9-8 on the season, tallying four consecutive complete-game wins in her last four appearances.
Up Next:
The Pioneers remain on the road tomorrow for a 2 p.m. tilt at Stony Brook.
Team Records:
Sacred Heart (15-18, 9-2 NEC)
Merrimack (12-22, 6-4 NEC)
SHU 4, Merrimack 2 (8 inn.)
Pitchers:
Sam Kowalski (SHU) – (W, 8.0 innings pitched, 2 earned run, 7 strikeouts, 9-8 record)
Madie Fornwalt (MC) – (L, 7.1 innings pitched, 3 earned runs, 7 strikeouts, 6-7 record)
Cecelia Imbimbo (MC) – (0.2 innings pitched, 0 earned runs, 1 strikeout)
Top Performers:
Carly Koltko (SHU) – 2-3, 1 RBI, 2 walks, 1 double
Victoria LoPinto (SHU) – 2-4, 1 RBI, 1 triple, 1 walk
Nicole Henke (SHU) – 1-3, 1 run, 1 RBI, 1 double
Of Note:
The Warriors recorded all the run production in the first four innings, taking a 2-0 lead in the first.
SHU started its comeback in the fifth, plating its first run off the bat of Carly Koltko. The hot-hitting junior blasted an opposite-field rocket to right field that caught the wall, allowing Cierra Bender to easily score on a stand-up double.
Trailing 2-1 in the sixth, the Pioneers evened the score at deuces with a two-out single from Victoria LoPinto. With runners on the corners, LoPinto sent one right back up the middle to plate a pinch-running Sydney Hess to tie the game.
After a scoreless seventh, SHU went to extra innings for the second time this series against the Warriors. Like in the Pios' opening win yesterday, Sacred Heart jumped on Merrimack in the eighth. Charlene Davis worked a leadoff walk before stealing second and scoring on a Nicole Henke double. LoPinto added an insurance run in the next at-bat with a cracking triple to right center that plated Henke from second.
With the lead for the first time this afternoon, Sam Kowalski earned her second consecutive victory over the Warriors with a 1-2-3 eighth. Kowalski didn't allow a run after the first, finishing the series with 19 strikeouts over 16.0 innings. She improved to 9-8 on the season, tallying four consecutive complete-game wins in her last four appearances.
Up Next:
The Pioneers remain on the road tomorrow for a 2 p.m. tilt at Stony Brook.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kowalski, Sam (9-8)
L: M. Fornwalt (6-7)
Batting:
2B: Koltko, Carly 1 ; Henke, Nicole 1
3B: LoPinto, Victoria 1
RBI: LoPinto, Victoria 1 ; Koltko, Carly 1 ; Henke, Nicole 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bender, Cierra 1 ; Davis, Charlene 1 ; Hess, Sydney 1 ; Henke, Nicole 1
SB: Bender, Cierra 1 ; Davis, Charlene 1
Batting:
RBI: M. Arvai 1 ; G. Kaduson 1
SH: T. Brito 1
Base Running:
RUNS: S. Russalesi 1 ; M. Arvai 1
SB: S. Russalesi 1
HBP: M. Arvai 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
5
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
C/INF
/ Softball
P/INF
/ Softball
P/INF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballSaige Harper Paris 2024
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