Softball sweeps Stonehill to qualify for NE-10 postseason

April 26, 2009

Assumption 2, Stonehill 1

Assumption 3, Stonehill 1

WORCESTER, Mass. --- Freshman righthander JENNIFER LOWREY (Assonet, MA/Apponequet) with relief help from freshman righthander CHELSEA DURSO (Salem, NH/Salem) pitched Assumption College past Stonehill College, 3-1, in the second game of a Northeast-10 Conference softball doubleheader SUNDAY at Marois Field.

In the opener, sophomore shortstop MARISSA PALUMBO (Worcester, MA/Holy Name) lined an RBI single in the eighth inning to lead the Greyhounds to a 2-1 walk-off victory.

The sweep of the doubleheader gives the Greyhounds a 20-26 overall record and 14-14 in the conference. It also clinches the final playoff berth in the upcoming league tournament.

Bentley University, which has a 12-14 conference record, has a doubleheader with Franklin Pierce MONDAY to conclude its season. If they were to win both games and finish 14-14 the conference seeding rules would be in effect. Bentley and Assumption split thir doubleheader this season therefore the next criteria would be a match of opponents starting with the No. 1 seed, Le Moyne College. The Greyhounds split two games with the Dolphins, while Bentley was beaten twice.

The Greyhounds will play at top-seeded Le Moyne College WEDNESDAY in Syracuse at a time to be determined. The tournament continues Saturday and Sunday.

GAME ONE: Palumbo and sophomore first baseman AMY GORDON (Seekonk, MA/Bishop Feehan) each had two hits to pace the Greyhounds nine-hit attack, while Durso evened her record at 5 5 with 1.1 innings of one hit shutout relief work.

Each team scored a run in the fourth inning as freshman shortstop SARAH STUMPER (St. James, NY/Smithtown East) walked with the bases loaded for the Skyhawks runs, while sophomore third baseman ASHLEY BILODEAU (Manchester, CT/East Catholic) doubled home the Greyhounds run.

In the decisive eighth inning senior MELISSA BOWMAN (West Hartford, CT/Conard)---honored before the game as the only senior on the roster---opened with a single to the shortstop hole. Junior KARA LYONS (Dracut, MA/Dracut) pinch ran for Bowman and advanced to second base on a single by sophomore outfielder BERNADETTE FUENTES (Hicksville, NY/Holy Trinity) and scored on Palumbo's single.

GAME TWO: the Greyhounds struck in the first inning as Gordon singled across Bilodeau and a wild pitch netted a second run. Bilodeau singled across Palumbo with an insurance run in the third. Senior catcher COURTNEY YOUNG (Danvers, MA/Danvers) homered in the sixth for the Skyhawks' lone run.

Bilodeau finished with three hits including a double, while Palumbo was the only other Greyhounds with a multiple-hit game with a single and double.

Click here for ASSUMPTION-STONEHILL Game One box score

Click here for ASSUMPTION-STONEHILL Game Two box score