WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Regis College won game one of Sunday's Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) doubleheader to stay alive for postseason participation, but the University of Saint Joseph took game two to split the twinbill at the USJ Softball Field and clinch the final GNAC South Division spot in the upcoming 2024 GNAC Softball Tournament.
GAME ONE – REGIS 5, USJ 3
After two scoreless innings, Mel Rees (Middleborough, Mass.) hit a one-out home run to left-center field in the third inning, her seventh home run of the season. The Pride then loaded the bases on a walk and two singles, with Lexi Nichols (Granby, Conn.) coming home on a wild pitch that advanced all three runners. Abby Erickson (Worcester, Mass.) would score on a sacrifice fly by Mya Gaspie (Hooksett, N.H.), extending the Pride lead to 3-0.
USJ struck right back in the bottom of the third inning, as Kaitlyn Ouellette drove in a run with a triple and later scored on an infield single by Alexis Volinsky. With the bases loaded, Alyssa Roberts hit a single to left field that drove in Volinsky with the game-tying run.
Nichols led off the fifth inning with a double to right-center field and came around to score when Erickson reached base on a USJ error. With two outs, Grace Motto (Wareham, Mass.) hit a single to center field that scored Erickson to provide an insurance run for the Pride.
Rees retired the final 10 Blue Jay batters to earn her eighth victory of the season as she allowed seven hits, three walks, and three runs while striking out four batters in her fifth complete game of the season. She also joined Motto and Jaylene Deslauriers (Taunton, Mass.) with two hits apiece as Regis finished with 11 hits and two walks against Paige Fekete.
GAME TWO – USJ 8, REGIS 0
With a tournament berth on the line, the Blue Jays jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the first inning with three runs, loading the bases before an infield single by Izzy Milardo and a walk drawn by Grace DiMinno scored two of those runs.
Madelyn Ellis led off the third inning with a triple and scored on a groundout by Milardo. The Blue Jays took advantage of a Regis error and a wild pitch to score two runs in the fourth inning, and then USJ closed out the game with two more runs in the fifth inning, capped by an RBI double from Emma Carpenter.
Roberts allowed just two hits in the game while striking out three batters in five innings. Gaspie took the loss as she allowed the first three runs and did not get out of the first inning before being replaced by Rees.
Regis College sees its season end with a 12-22 overall record, including a 6-12 mark within the GNAC. Within the GNAC South, the Pride posted a 5-9 mark to finish sixth in the division, just one game behind the Blue Jays for the fifth and final tournament spot within the division.