Big Fifth Inning Pushes 'Canes Past St. Joe's
ADAMS, Mass. -- The St. Joe's softball team shut down Hoosac Valley for four innings on Monday, and that's something most team haven't been able to do so far in the 2011 season. Unfortunately for the Crusaders, a poor fifth inning featuring a walk, a hit by a pitch, two errors and five hits by the Hurricanes resulted in a six-run frame which led to an 8-4 Hoosac win at home on Monday.St. Joe's starter Chanler Hospot did a solid job of keeping the 'Canes (7-0) off the board in the first four innings and even helped out her own cause with a solo home run in the top of the fourth. St. Joe's (5-2) held that lead until the bottom of the fifth, when Karli Schrade tied the game with an RBI single to left field. After another run scored on a hit by a pitch, senior Katelynn Iacuessa struck the biggest blow of the frame with a two-run double to right. Tori Rumbolt scored another run with an infield single before the inning was through and led the Hoosac offense with two hits in the game.
Morgan Shafer's squad added a pair of insurance runs in the sixth inning when Amanda Meczywor reached on an error and was brought home on freshman Kassandra Kazimierczak's fifth home run of the season. The Crusaders took advantage of a couple Hurricane errors to score three more runs in the seventh inning, but Meczywor buckled down was able to close the door on her sixth win of the year.
The Hoosac starter was only charged one earned run on four hits while striking out five and walking none in a complete-game effort. In six starts this year, Meczywor has struck out 38 batters and walked just three.
The Hurricanes next host Lenox at 4 p.m. on Wednesday.