Box Score BOSTON – The Norwich University softball team was shutout 5-0 by Emmanuel in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament Second Round on Friday afternoon at Rotch Field.
Emmanuel junior pitcher Jill Kilcoyne kept the Cadets' offense at bay, allowing just two hits and striking out nine Norwich batters to pick up her 17th win of the season. Norwich freshman pitcher Emily Oliver (Sagamore Hills, Ohio) matched Kilcoyne for every inning but one. However, that inning proved to be the difference as the Saints pushed across five runs, capitalizing on two Norwich errors to provide all the offense Kilcoyne would need.
Emmanuel freshman designated hitter Ashley Skey punctuated the big inning with a three-run home run over the left field fence after the Saints had already scored twice.
Emmanuel (24-15) opened the scoring with Catherine Davis reaching on a fielder's choice after she hit a ground ball to short stop. NU's Naomi Rinaldo tried to cut down Erin Walsh running from third, but she beat the throw to the plate with a slide to make it 1-0. The Saints extended the lead to 2-0 when Casey Sheehan stuck out swinging, but the ball bounced off home plate and skipped to the back stop allowing Sheehan to safely get to first and Kerrianne Vulpis to scamper home from third for an unearned run.
Skey then brought Davis and Sheehan home with a laser shot to left field to make it 5-0.
Senior Angie Hershberger (Felton, Calif.) and Naomi Rinaldo (Middlefield, Conn.) accounted for Norwich's two hits. The Cadets had their best chance to score in the bottom of the sixth inning when they loaded the bases. However, Kassy Kazimierczak (Adams, Mass.) struck out looking to end the threat.
Oliver took the loss to fall to 6-8 on the season while striking out four and walking one. Emmanuel advanced to play No. 1 seed Suffolk.
Norwich will face the loser of No. 2 Univ. of St. Joseph (Conn.) and No. 3 Johnson & Wales University at 12:30 p.m. JWU beat Albertus Magnus 5-1 in the other GNAC second round matchup.
The Cadets will now need to win five games over the next two days to win the GNAC Tournament title. With a victory at 12:30 p.m. tomorrow, Norwich would play again at 5:30 p.m. A victory in that game would guarantee NU a top three finish and the Cadets would play three straight games on Sunday if they were to keep winning.
