Jimenez knocks walk-off hit as softball ends losing streak against St. Michael's
SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts - The American International College softball team broke their losing streak with a 4-3 win over Saint Michael's College on Friday, April 29 in Northeast-10 Conference play.
FAST FACTS:
Game 1:
Final Score: AIC 4, St. Michael's 3
Records: The Yellow Jackets move to 4-36 (2-20 NE10) and St. Michael's moves to 9-26 (5-17 NE10)
Game 2:
Final Score: St. Michael's 10, AIC 3
Records: The Yellow Jackets move to 4-37 (2-21 NE10) and St. Michael's moves to 10-26 (6-17 NE10)
Location: Judy Groff Field - Springfield, Massachusetts
KEY STATS:
Game 1:
AIC:
Isabella Erti: Win (2-16), 7.0 innings pitched, six hits, three runs, one earned run, four strikeouts, no walks, 92 pitches
Abigail Wells: 3-for-3, two RBI, one run, one double
Alexis Jimenez: 1-for-4, one RBI, one double
Lilly Acampora: 3-for-4, two runs
St. Michael's:
J. Cherry: Loss (7-17), 6.2 innings pitched, nine hits, four runs, 10 strikeouts, one walk, 120 pitches
J. Devens: 2-for-3, one RBI, two runs
S. Pratt: 1-for-3, one RBI
H. Waghorn: 2-for-3, one run
Game 2:
AIC:
Riley Sullivan: Loss (0-11), 3.0 innings pitched, three hits, five runs, two earned runs, 76 pitches
Alexis Jimenez: 4.0 innings pitched, six hits, five runs, 82 pitches, 1-for-3, one run, one double
Kodi Gora: 1-for-4, one RBI
Victoria Andrade: 3-for-3, one RBI, one run, one home run
Abigail Wells: 1-for-3
Brianna Harzula: 1-for-2
St. Michael's:
Kelleigh Simpson: Win (2-4), 2.0 inning's pitched, three hits, three runs, three strikeouts, 45 pitches
Jackie Cherry: Save (1), 3.0 inning's pitched, three hits, no runs, 42 pitches
Angelica Johns: 1-for-3, four RBI, two runs, one home run
Sadie Pratt: 1-for-2, three RBI, one double
Jenna Devens: 1-for-4, one RBI, one run, one home run
Marli Welter: 1-for-3, one RBI, one run, one double
Jenna Hoops: 3-for-4, one RBI, three runs, one home run
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Game 1:
- The Purple Knights scored a pair of runs in the first frame of play to take the early lead.
- AIC started to chip away in their first frame at the plate. It started when junior Lilly Acampora singled down the left field line and sophomore Abigail Wells singled through the right side and Acampora took third before stealing home on a double steal.
- The Yellow Jackets kept their bats going in the second inning. Senior Ariana Martel was on third and Acampora on second when Wells found the open green in the left-center gap and two runs came in to give the Yellow Jackets to 3-2 lead.
- Saint Michael's tied the game in the third before the runs went silent.
- As the Yellow Jackets entered the bottom of the seventh the score was tied at three. Wells led the inning off with a walk. After the next two hitters were retired, senior Victoria Andrade gave the Yellow Jackets momentum by wearing a pitch to put the winning run 120-feet from scoring. Junior Alexis Jimenez dug in and doubled to left-center as the speedy Wells came around to give AIC the victory and snap the team's losing streak.
Game 2:
- The Purple Knights struck first with four runs in the second inning including a bases-loaded double that cleared the bases. They extended their lead by a run in the third before the Yellow Jackets answered.
- In the bottom of the third sophomore Riley Sullivan walked to get the momentum started. She came around to score from second as junior Kodi Gora singled to center.
- After the Purple Knights added a run in the fourth, the Yellow Jackets continued to chip away. Andrade led the inning off by going deep to left field. Jimenez doubled through the left side before ending up at third on a fielder's choice by freshman Macy Ring. Senior Noelle Gramlich grounded out to short but Jimenez scored as the Purple Knights conceded the run.
- Saint Michael's went off for four runs in the bottom of the fifth to extend its lead to 10-3 to end the game's scoring.
NEXT UP:
- AIC will round out its schedule on Saturday, April 30 as they host Franklin Pierce University at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
- Before the first game, the Yellow Jackets will honor a trio of seniors.