Eagles Rip Apart Panthers, Sweep Doubleheader

Purchase, N.Y. – The St. Joseph's Golden Eagles (15-7) had a 10-run third inning in game one that led to their 15-0 victory behind dominant pitching against the Purchase Panthers (3-8).  In game two, the Lady Eagles were tied at four going into the sixth inning when their offense exploded for ten runs over the final two innings to win the game 14-5.

The Eagles scored a run in the first but the big inning for the SJC offense was the third. Julianne Tierney (Bethpage, N.Y./Bethpage) got on base with a double and the next batter Nicole Reda (St. James, N.Y./Our Lady of Mercy) hit a two-run homer. With the bases loaded, a walk, and back-to-back singles, produced three runs. Then, Tara Bernocco (Islip, N.Y./Islip) stepped up to the plate with the bases still loaded and hit a bases-clearing triple to extend the SJC lead to nine. Tierney got up for the second time in the inning with Bernocco on base and hit it out of the park to cap off the Lady Eagles ten-run inning. The Eagles tacked on another run in the fourth and the starting pitcher Mallory McClafferty (Bellport, N.Y./St. John the Baptist) helped her own cause in the fifth with a three-run homer.

Tierney, Samantha Carcano (Centereach, N.Y./Newfield), and Reda all went 3-for-4. Tierney had three RBIs and three runs scored.  Carcano and Reda both drove in two runs and scored twice. McClafferty went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored. She also pitched four scoreless innings, striking out four. Cassie Martinez (Centereach, N.Y./Centereach) pitched one perfect inning in relief.

The Eagles offense kept on rolling into game two as they scored three runs in the first inning. Melanie Boccio (Bellport, N.Y./St. John the Baptist) hit a two-RBI triple that scored Carcano and Tierney. The Panthers responded with a homerun in the bottom half of the inning. The two teams traded runs in the third and Purchase took the lead on a two-RBI double in the fourth. The Eagles responded with four sixth inning runs. Carcano singled in a run with two on base and Tierney blasted a three-run homerun, giving SJC a two-run lead. The Panthers cut the deficit to one but in the seventh inning, the Lady Eagles put the game away with six runs. Martinez got the rally started with a two-RBI double and they tacked on four more runs to sweep the doubleheader.

Carcano went 4-for-5 with two RBIs and four runs scored. Tierney was 2-for-2 with three RBIs and three runs scored and Boccio finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs. Amanda Eremita (Sayville, N.Y./Sayville) pitching 3 2/3 innings, surrendering four runs. Martinez again pitched well in relief. going 3 1/3 innings, striking out five and giving up just one run.