Late Comeback Lifts St. Joseph Over Softball

Chris Kendrick (@CKendrick86)

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – The Elms College softball surrendered a late comeback to host University of St. Joseph (Conn.), 10-6, during a non-conference tilt at the Central Connecticut State University softball field Wednesday afternoon. The Blazers slide to 3-10 overall, while the Blue Jays improved to 7-5.

The Blazers jumped on the Blue Jays early, tacking three runs on the scoreboard in the top of the first. Sophomore Madison Messier (Warren, Mass.) knocked a double to left field, and then moved to third base on a single from freshman Katelyn Sylvia (Southwick, Mass.). Sophomore Jeszy McGuire (Brimfield, Mass.) ripped a two-run double into left-centerfield to put Elms up 2-0. With two outs, senior Kacey Gifford (Suffield, Conn.) laced an RBI single to right field, scoring McGuire from third to create a 3-0 gap.

Elms added to their cushion in the top of the fourth as Messier brought home senior Tessa Cote () and sophomore Kayla Doherty () with a two-run double to left field. After advancing to third base, Messier scampered home on a wild pitch to build a 6-0 advantage.

The Blue Jays comebacks began in the bottom of the frame as freshman McKenna Driscoll (Bristol, Conn.) launched a three-run home run over the left-centerfield fence to cut the Elms lead to 6-3. St. Joseph made it a one run game, 6-5, in the bottom of the fifth after an RBI groundout from junior Sarah Ercoli (East Granby, Conn.) and an RBI single from sophomore Kara Klimaszewski (Naugatuck, Conn.).

St. Joseph completed the comeback by loading the bases in the bottom of the sixth. Freshman Nathalia Vega (Waterbury, Conn.) came home on an RBI groundout from freshman Taylor Marino (Middlefield, Conn.) to knot the score at 6-6, followed by an RBI single from Ercoli to put the Blue Jays on top. St. Joseph pulled away for good as freshman Amaria Sharon (Tolland, Conn.) blasted a three-run home run to centerfield to send the Blue Jays to the 10-6 win.

Messier led the Blazers at the dish, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Doherty, Sylvia, McGuire and Cote each added a hit and scored during the contest. McGuire (1-2) took the loss in relief in the circle.

The Blazers will look to return to the win column when they host Daniel Webster in a New England Collegiate Conference doubleheader at Cheryl R. Condon Field Saturday at 3:00 p.m. St. Joseph travels to Lasell for Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) twinbill Saturday at Noon.

ELMS SOFTBALL