(Photo courtesy Sheridan Steiner)

NORTHFIELD, Vt. – The Norwich University softball team took another step towards clinching its first-ever Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) regular season title with a split against Saint Joseph's (Maine) on Saturday at the NU Softball Field.

Norwich freshman catcher Angie Hershberger (Felton, Calif.) blasted a two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth and sophomore ace pitcher Corinne Baita (Rochester, N.H.) threw a complete game eight-hitter, while holding the GNAC's top offense to just one run en route to a 5-1 victory in the opener.

In Game 2, Saint Joseph's (26-8, 15-5 GNAC) offense came alive as the Monks belted three home runs and put up crooked numbers in the first, third, fifth and seventh innings on their way to an 11-5 win in the nightcap.

With just two games left in the regular season, Norwich (23-8, 18-4 GNAC) sits on top of the league standings with Emerson (15-3 GNAC) in second place as the Cadets' chief challenger to the No. 1 spot. NU and Emerson will get the chance to settle it on the field Sunday as they meet for a showdown at 1 p.m. on Norwich's Senior Day when the Cadets will honor Noel Byers (Iron Mountain, Mich.).

Hershberger and Byers each went 4-for-7 on the day to lead the Norwich offense, while sophomore Melissa Rome (Enfield, Conn.) went 3-for-7 with two RBIs. Rome notched a big 2-out RBI double in the bottom of the sixth that scored Byers and Payton Warner (Harwich, Mass.) to give the Cadets a comfortable 5-0 lead heading into the final inning.

Norwich got on the board in the bottom of the first inning in Game 1 when Abby Belcher (Winthrop, Mass.) led off with a double. Warner sacrificed her over to third and then Travers lined a shot to deep right field that allowed Belcher to score easily for a sacrifice fly RBI and put NU up 1-0.

Mixed with Hershberger's 2-run bomb over the left field fence and Rome's 2-RBI double, Baita would have more than enough run support to pick up her 10^th win of the season. She finished with six strikeouts and two walks, holding the high-octane Monks' lineup to one run or less for just the third time this season.

St. Joe's Maine salvaged a run in the top of the seventh to avoid being shutout for the first time in 2013 with Lindsay Moore knocking a RBI single to plate Kim Jordan.

In the nightcap, St. Joe's set the tone from the outset scoring three runs in the first inning and never looking back. The Monks got at least one hit from every starter in the lineup as they pounded out 13 hits and chased junior starter Kaylie Miller (Long Lake, N.Y.) after five innings.

Moore, Melissa Mahew and Heather Tripp all blasted home runs for St. Joseph's Maine to power the Monks to the victory. Jordan also notched two RBIs with a single in the top of the seventh to help St. Joe's pull away from Norwich after the Cadets had rallied to cut the deficit to 7-5 heading to the final inning.

Kayla Vannah picked up the win for the Monks to improve to 8-3 on the year by surrendering two earned runs on nine hits and one walk, while striking out five.

With the victory in Game 1, Norwich assured itself of a first-round GNAC Tournament home game. The Cadets can finish no worse than fourth and they will host a playoff game on Tuesday, April 23 regardless of the outcome of the rest of the games.

 -CADETS-