St. Joseph’s trips UNE for crown

STANDISH – Host St. Joseph’s College won its second consecutive NAIA District 5 Softball Championship with a 4-3 victory over University of New England here Saturday.

St. Joseph’s, now 24-2 this season, will host District 31 champ Georgian Court College of Lakewood, N.J., Thursday.

Heidi Thiboutot’s squeeze bunt in the bottom of the fifth plated Wendy Blackwell with the winning run and the Monks held off a late UNE rally to edge the Scarlet Knights.

Freshman Cindy Kamszik (4-1) pitched 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief to notch the win. Kamszik escaped a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the seventh to preserve the win.

Julie MacMichael tripled and singled to lead the offense. Thiboutot, Kim Rodgers, and Marcia Shields each hit RBI doubles.

For the 14-7 Knights, Nicki Corti had an RBI single. Heather Niemann and Maureen Gillis each hit doubles.

(Championship game) U. New England 000 210 0 – 3 5 2 St. Joseph’s College 300 010 – 4 5 3

Bailey and Corti; Zanfagna, Kamscik (5) and Blackwell

Husson wins, then eliminated

At Standish, Husson eliminated Green Mountain College 14-5 in the first elimination game Saturday before being eliminated by the University of New England in the next game.

In the first game, Sue Teeney, Esther Letteney and Corinne Keene each had two singles to lead the Husson offense to the victory shortened to five innings by the eight-run-rule.

Trisha Mensch (4-1) notched the win with two innings of relief for the 21-9 Braves.

For 11-6 Green Mountain, Jen Reid had three singles and an RBI. Debbie Raber and Cathy Pullar each doubled and singled.

In the second game, Karen Bailey (11-4) pitched a three-hitter to lead the UNE Knights to the win.

Nicki Corti and Tracey Hansen each hit RBI singles. A double steal in the third inning plated the third run for the 14-6 Knights.

For the Braves, Crystal Hinton (9-5) tossed an eight-hitter, but took the loss.

Green Mountain 004 10 – 5 11 4 Husson 400 64 – 14 10 0

Bishop and Pullar; Libby, Mensch (4) and Longtin U. New England 012 000 0 – 3 8 0 Husson 000 100 0 – 1 3 3

Bailey and Corti; Hinton and Shaw

St. Joseph’s 3, UNE 1

At Standish, back-to-back doubles by Kim Rodgers and Marcia Shields with two outs in the sixth inning broke a 1-all tie and sent St. Joseph’s to the win.

For St. Joseph’s, Rodgers also singled, and Dani Waterman pitched a six-hitter to notch the victory.

Dawn Albert singled twice to lead the 13-6 Knights.

U. New England 000 100 0 – 1 6 2 St. Joseph’s 000 102 x – 3 6 2

Bailey and Corti; Waterman and Blackwell