Softball Opens Season with Pair of Losses to Greensboro

Myrtle Beach, SC| The St. Joseph's College (L.I.) softball team opened its 2018 season with a pair of losses to Greensboro College, 8-0 and 5-4, at the Snowbird Tournament in Myrtle Beach, SC on Wednesday afternoon.

The defeats send the Golden Eagles to 0-2 on the year as The Pride improves to 8-10.

Greensboro 8, SJC 0 (5 innings)

After falling behind 1-0 in the first, SJC allowed four runs in the second inning and fell behind 5-0. A three-run fifth put The Pride up 8-0 and initiated the mercy rule.

Senior Theresa Cardello (1-for-3) recorded the Golden Eagles' only hit in the contest. Senior Samantha Magerovich (0-for-1) and sophomore Ashley Accardi (0-for-1) were credited with a stolen base apiece.

Senior Lauren Buturla (0-1) got the start for SJC and allowed five runs on six hits in 1.1 innings of work. Senior Ashley Blydenburgh struck out four and allowed three runs in 3.1 innings of relief.

Greensboro 5, SJC 4

Down 3-0 heading into the fourth, Magerovich's (1-for-4) RBI single scored senior Kristen Arbiter (1-for-4)  and cut Greensboro's lead to two runs (2-1).

A pair of runs in the fifth extended The Pride's advantage to four runs (5-1), but SJC responded in the sixth when freshman Zoe Kelly (1-for-3) scored senior Lyndsay Smocer (2-for-4) via an RBI single.

A couple of RBI doubles off the bats of Cardello (2-for-3) and Smocer scored sophomore Franzelyn Russo (2-for-3) and Cardello, respectively, and cut the SJC deficit to one run (5-4) in the seventh, but it was all the offense the Golden Eagles could muster.

Cardello (0-1) pitched all seven innings, allowing three earned runs while striking out three Greensboro batters.

The Golden Eagles continue play at the Snowbird Tournament on Thursday, March 8 when they play two more games against Greensboro at 10:00 am and 12:00 pm.