Softball’s GNAC Title Hunt Continues This Weekend

BOSTON – Thanks to a 2-0 outing in the GNAC second-round Thursday, the third-seeded Suffolk softball team advances to the winner's bracket of the 2017 GNAC Tournament. The Rams crown chase continues Saturday, May 6 as it heads to Providence, Rhode Island to take on the tournament's top seed Johnson & Wales at Scotts Miracle-Gro Complex at 3 p.m. 

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THE SCHEDULE
First-Round – Tuesday, May 2 (single-elimination)
Game 1: #8 Simmons defeated #5 St. Joseph (Conn.), 6-4
Game 2: #6 Norwich defeated #7 Emmanuel, 7-2

Second-Round – Thursday, May 4 (double-elimination begins)
Game 3: #4 Albertus Magnus defeated #8 Simmons (at #1 JWU), 9-0
Game 4: #3 Suffolk defeated #6 Norwich (at #2 St. Joseph's (Maine)), 4-0
Game 5: #1 JWU defeated #4 Albertus Magnus, 13-12
Game 6: #3 Suffolk defeated #2 St. Joseph's (Maine), 5-2

Semifinals – Saturday, May 6 (hosted by #1 JWU)
Game 7: #6 Norwich vs. #Albertus Magnus (elimination game) – 10 AM
Game 8: #8 Simmons vs. #2 St. Joseph's (Maine) (elimination game) – 12:30 PM
Game 9: #3 Suffolk vs. #1 JWU– 3 PM
Game 10: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner (elimination game) – 5:30 PM 

Championship – Sunday, May 7 (hosted by #1 JWU)
Game 11: Game 9 loser vs. Game 10 winner (elimination game) – 10 AM
Game 12: Game 11 winner vs. Game 9 winner – 12:30 PM
Game 13: if necessary – 3 PM 

RUNDOWN ON THE RAMS
Suffolk entered the tournament field with a convincing 4-0 shutout over #6 Norwich, before taking down #2 St. Joseph's (Maine), 5-2, thanks to a grand slam from Lindsay Pagano to advance to the winner's bracket on Saturday.

Delaney Sylvester continues to pave the path offensively, hitting at a .431 clip and boasting a .479 on-base percentage to go with a .700 slugging percentage. The junior catcher leads the way on hits (56), is second on the squad in RBI (36) and has scored 24 runs. Jill Pulek, meanwhile, owns a slash line of .388/.420/.712 to anchor the Rams' RBI (42) with 54 his and 29 runs scored.

Ali Yamakaitis, who has twirled 120.1 innings, has allowed 54 runs (37 earned) on 105 hits and punched out 76 batters for a 2.15 ERA. Taylor Holmes, meanwhile, owns a .329 ERA with 61 runs (51 earned) on 121 hits with a team-best 80 strikeouts in 108.2 frames of action.

Jaclyn Flint has been a powerful force for Suffolk offensively and defensively with the sophomore bringing a 3.50 ERA into the tournament as well as a .356 average at the plate with 36 hits, 24 RBI and 23 runs scored. 

LAST TIME OUT
Lindsay Pagano broke up a 1-1 tie in the sixth inning with a grand slam to send the third-seeded Suffolk softball team over the second-seeded St. Joseph's (Maine) Monks, 5-2, Thursday afternoon at Richard Bailey Field. 

MORE READING: Pagano Powers Softball Past SJC, 5-2, in GNAC Tourney

SUFFOLK IN THE GNAC TOURNEY
The Rams advance in the winner's bracket for the first time since 2014. Suffolk is in the midst of its sixth straight trip to the conference tournament and fifth-ever time as the third seed. Suffolk is in its fifth consecutive conference championship appearance under Jaclyn Davis and first time in the tournament field as the third seed with Davis on the bench.  

NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Delaney Sylvester of the Suffolk softball team added more hardware to her growing collection as the junior picked up Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division III National Player of the Week, the organization announced Wednesday afternoon.

MORE READING: Sylvester Scores Louisville Slugger/NFCA DIII National Player of the Week

WILDCAT WAYS
Johnson & Wales, who secured the tournament's top seed and regular-season crown with a 31-7 overall record and 21-1 league ledger, earned a 13-12 win over #4 Albertus Magnus to advance in the winner's bracket.

A trio of Wildcats have produced above .500 in Tiffani Semanchik (.565), Taylor Fay (.545) and Emily Gorecki (.500). Gorecki has played all, but four games for JWU and has identical hits and RBI at 48 to go with 33 runs scored. Alex Fantasia also adds to the offense with 44 hits and a team-high 35 runs scored with a .440 average.

Five different arms have taken the circle for JWU this season. Jennifer Corona is the go-to with the junior boasts a team-best 1.94 ERA in 24 appearances and 20 starts with 47 runs (35 earned) allowed off 104 hits and 133 strikeouts. Caitlin Kiene, meanwhile, has a 1.70 ERA in eight appearances with two saves. 

WE MEET AGAIN
The Suffolk softball team dropped a 5-4 thriller to Johnson & Wales in the closer at SGM Athletic Complex as the Wildcats secured the sweep over the Rams April 8.

MORE READING: JWU Secures Sweep, Takes 5-4 Thriller Over Softball

INSIDE THE SERIES
With the regular-season sweep of the Rams, Johnson & Wales gained a 19-18 edge in the all-time series with Suffolk.

EYES ON THE GAME

MONKS MENTIONABLES
St. Joe's, the tournament's second seed, fell to the Rams, 5-2, to slip into the loser's bracket. The Monks will take the field Saturday, May 6 at 12:30 p.m. versus #8 Simmons. 

Carla Tripp's bat leads the way for the Monks, hitting .410 with 43 hits, four RBI and 35 runs scored. Meghan Elliott (.350/.476/.395; 36 H, 23 RBI, 23 R) and Jennifer Murphy (.337/.380/.388; 31 H, 15 RBI, 4 R) add a spark at the plate for SJC.

The Monks two main starters in the circle, Kylie McFadden and Kristal Smith, have ERAs sub 3.00. The former comes in at 1.93 in 105.0 innings and the latter owns an ERA of 2.60. Smith has sat down 72 batters, while McFadden boasts 40 strikeouts.

WE MEET AGAIN
Lindsay Pagano broke up a 1-1 tie in the sixth inning with a grand slam to send the third-seeded Suffolk softball team over the second-seeded St. Joseph's (Maine) Monks, 5-2, Thursday afternoon at Richard Bailey Field in the GNAC Tournament Second Round.

MORE READING: Pagano Powers Softball Past SJC, 5-2 in GNAC Tourney

INSIDE THE SERIES
Suffolk chipped away at SJC's all-time series lead with its 5-2 win over the Monks Thursday, moving to 19-12 all-time versus St. Joe's

EYES ON THE GAME
 

FALCONS FACTS
Albertus Magnus took down #8 Simmons, 8-0, to advance to the second-round winning game versus #1 Johnson & Wales, where the Falcons fell, 13-12. Albertus Magnus moves to the elimination round where it will take on #6 Norwich Saturday, May 6 at 10 a.m.

The Falcons carry one of the best hitters in the conference in junior Gillian Fortier. The utility player boasts a .447 average, .787 slugging percentage and .506 on-base percentage with 63 hits, 50 RBI and 55 runs, all of which land among the top in the league and pace Albertus Magnus' offense.

In the circle, Megan Ferraro is the top arm. The junior has seen 113.2 innings for an ERA of 2.71 with 56 strikeouts. Freshman Laura Anderson comes in just above 3.00 at 3.12 in 107.2 frames of action with 63 Ks.

WE MEET AGAIN
The Suffolk softball team broke open a 2-2 tie in the fifth and cruised from there to lock up a 9-3 win over Albertus Magnus at Celentano Field April 27.

MORE READING: Suffolk Brings Home 9-3 Win From Albertus Magnus

INSIDE THE SERIES
Suffolk swept the regular-season meeting with the Falcons to improve to 32-15 all-time versus Albertus Magnus. The Rams are on a three-game win streak versus the Falcons dating back to last season's GNAC Tournament.

EYES ON THE GAME

CATCH UP ON THE CADETS
Since slipping to Suffolk, Norwich moves into the elimination bracket and will face #4 Albertus Magnus Saturday morning.

Madison Miller, who was played all, but one game this season for the Cadets, leads the way at the dish with a .405 average. Naomi Rinaldo's .379 falls in a close second. Rinaldo produces team-best numbers in hits (47), RBI (30) and runs scored (22), with Miller falling second with 45 hits to go with 17 runs scored and 16 RBI.

Rachel Johnson is Norwich's leading arm as the sophomore brings a 2.52 ERA into Saturday's action with 130.1 innings of work and 180 strikeouts to her credit.

WE MEET AGAIN
The third-seeded Suffolk softball team blanked the sixth-seeded Cadets of Norwich, 4-0, at Richard Bailey Field, Thursday afternoon to advance to the winner's bracket of the GNAC Tournament.

MORE READING: Softball Shutouts Norwich, 4-0, in GNAC Second Round

INSIDE THE SERIES
Suffolk took a 20-18 all-time series lead over Norwich with a 4-0 win over the Cadets in the GNAC Tournament second round. 

EYES ON THE GAME
 

SHARKS SAYINGS
Simmons, the tournament's eighth seed, was shutout by #4 Albertus Magnus, 9-0, in the second round and will face #2 St. Joseph's (Maine) Saturday afternoon. 

Molly Hennessey hits .356 to buoy the Sharks at the plate. The first-year slugs .525 and holds an on-base percentage of .403 to lead the way, producing team-high numbers in hits (42) and RBI (22) to go with 14 runs scored. Lauren Del Vacchio is second on the squad as the first-year owns 39 hits, 13 RBI and 21 runs scored thanks to a .348 average.

The Sharks have called on a number of pitchers this season. Alex Soqui's 2.92 ERA paces the pack, while Tori Gomes has seen the most action, 80.2 innings, and holds a 5.47 ERA with 30 Ks.

WE MEET AGAIN
The Suffolk softball team took down Simmons, 9-3, in game on and came from behind with a powerful 8-run sixth inning to win the nightcap 9-2 to secure the sweep of the Sharks at East Boston Memorial Park April 12.

MORE READING: Softball Sweeps Simmons in GNAC Twin Bill

INSIDE THE SERIES
Suffolk has swept the Sharks in back-to-back doubleheaders to take a 27-20 all-time series lead over Simmons.

EYES ON THE GAME

COMING UP
The 2017 GNAC Champion will be crowned Sunday, May 7.