Softball Sweeps Suffolk

WEST HAVEN – Haley McCall (Lebanon, Conn.) had a walk-off single in the bottom of the eighth inning and the University of softball team turned a triple play in a 5-4 victory in the first game of a GNAC sweep of Suffolk Saturday at West Haven High School. The Blue Jays won the second game, 6-4.

Saint Joseph improved to 19-9 overall and 9-5 in the GNAC; Suffolk is 7-21 and 5-11. Saint Joseph has won six games in a row.

With a Suffolk run home in the top of the sixth inning, the Blue Jays pulled off what is believed to be the second triple play in school history. The Rams had Meredith Ball running at third and Nikki Cignarella at second when Paige Stanley came up. Stanley hit a grounder back to pitcher Emily Vigue (Lebanon, Conn.), who had just come in the game. Vigue threw home, catcher Mary Sciglimpaglia (Norwalk, Conn.) ran Ball up the line before tagging her and throwing to Ashley Gall (Stafford Springs, Conn.) who tagged out Cignarella at third. Gall was briefly knocked down on the play and Stanley tried to make it to second. Gall's throw to Haley McCall seemed a bit too late, but Stanley overran the bag and was tagged out.

Tied at 3 after seven innings, Suffolk scored a run in top of the eighth inning and USJ got two to win. Patti Sciglimpaglia was placed at second via the international tie breaker, pinch-hitter Jocelyn Grady Meriden, Conn.) drew a one-out walk and Shauna Sullivan (Rocky Hill, Conn.) singled to load the bases. Vigue hit a sacrifice fly to score Sciglimpalia and McCall followed with a single to scored pinch-runner Sarah Miller (Southington, Conn.) with the winning run.

Sullivan finished with three hits, Vigue went 2-for-2 with two RBI and Patti Sciglimpaglia had two hits and two runs scored. Gall hit her fourth home run of the season in the fourth inning. Vigue allowed three hits and no earned runs over the final three innings for the win.

USJ had a five-run fourth inning in game two and held on as Suffolk rallied for three in the seventh. Emily Hummel (Hebron, Conn.) went the distance for her eighth win of the season.

Patti Sciglimpaglia had two doubles and two runs scored and finished the day 4-for-6 with four runs scored. Hummel added a single and a double.

Saint Joseph plays Norwich Sun. April 14 in a GNAC doubleheader at West Haven High School beginning at 2 p.m.