Pat Longobardi, Sports Writer:
Despite a good offensive performance, the Southern softball team split the Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader with American International College on April 25 at Pelz Field.
Two big offensive innings propelled American International College in game one, 10-6.
AIC got off to an early start as they scored six runs in the top of the first inning. Southern fired right back with two runs in the bottom half of the inning courtesy of consecutive triples by first baseman Kristen Whitley and third baseman Alyssa Downs to make it 6-2.
AIC scored three runs in the third when senior third baseman Becky Dion reached first base after an illegal pitch and did even more damage as five straight batters reached base. Junior left fielder Michele Niejadlik then hit an RBI single to center field to make it 9-2.
Whitley led off the third with a homerun to left, which made the score 9-3. Southern scored three runs in the fifth behind six straight hits. Grimes then retired Shawna Mallory and Jillian Thibault to end the threat. Southern was retired in order, ending the game.
Niejadlik led AIC, with three singles, one RBI, while St. Peter went 2-for-5 with 2 RBI, and scored one run. Merrill went 2-for-5 with 2 RBI and scored one run and sophomore second basemen Stephanie Belanger and Calgreen each contributed with two hits and two runs.
Whitley went 3-for-4 for Southern with a home run, a triple, a single and 2 RBI, scoring three runs, while Downs went 2-for-4 with one RBI, scoring one run.
Brittany Hill (5-8) took the loss, as she tossed one inning and gave up six runs, four earned, on four hits and four walks.
Game 2
Owls victorious in game two
Sophomore Jayme Larson pitched a complete and gave up four hits as Southern won game two, 4-2.
Southern scored all four of their runs in the first inning. Whitley got the Owls going with an RBI single to left to make it 1-0 and Robin Priest hit a three-run double to left-center with the bases loaded, to give the Owls a 4-0 advantage.
AIC fired back, when Merrill reached on an error by Whitley to make it 4-2. Larson retired AIC in the seventh, despite a one-out walk.
St. Peter went 2-for-3 with two singles, while Merrill went 0-for-3 with one RBI, and scored one run.
Robin Priest led Southern with 3 RBI and went 1-for-2, while Whitley went 1-for-3 with one RBI and one stolen base. Thibault and Downs each had one hit and scored one run.
Larson (12-6) got the win, as she tossed seven innings and gave up two runs on four hits, and struck out seven.
Junior Kristen Dolan took the loss. She went six innings and gave up four runs and struck out four. Southern is 21-16 overall, 14-8 in conference, while AIC is 17-21, and 13-11 in the Northeast-10.
