Softball Hosts GNAC Tournament this Weekend

BOSTON – The GNAC Regular Season Champions, Suffolk softball, rides a nine-game win streak into GNAC Tournament hosting responsibilities this weekend as the top seed. 

First double elimination rounds will be at the University of St. Joseph and Suffolk's home field Friday, before all the remaining teams converge in Eastie Saturday and Sunday. 

SOCIALIZE
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THE SCHEDULE
First Round – Tuesday, May 3 (single elimination)
Game 1: #5 Emmanuel defeated #8 Mount Ida, 5-4
Game 2: #7 Albertus Magnus defeated #6 Saint Joseph's (Maine), 1-0

Second Round – Friday, May 6 (Double-elimination Begins)
Game 3: #5 Emmanuel vs. #4 Norwich (at #1 Suffolk) – 2 PM
Game 4: #7 Albertus Magnus vs. #3 Johnson & Wales (at #2 USJ)
Game 5: Game 3 winner at #1 Suffolk – 4 PM
Game 6: Game 4 winner at #2 USJ

Semifinals – Saturday, May 7 (hosted by #1 Suffolk)
Game 7: Game 4 loser vs. Game 5 loser (Elimination Game)
Game 8: Game 3 loser vs. Game 6 loser (Elimination Game)
Game 9: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner
Game 10: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner (Elimination Game)

Championship – Sunday, May 8 (hosted by #1 Suffolk)
Game 11: Game 9 loser vs. Game 10 winner (Elimination Game)
Game 12: Game 11 winner vs. Game 9 winner
Game 13: if necessary

RUNDOWN ON THE RAMS
Delaney Sylvester has been a catalyst during Suffolk's season, hitting at a .474 clip and boasting a .519 on-base percentage. She has led a group of eight players with double-digit RBI totals with 42 and belted out seven homers, which is good for fifth on the Rams' single-season list. Sylvester's 55 hits lead the way, while Devlin Frost and Jill Pulek join the sophomore catcher in the 40-plus hit club with 48 and 44, respectively. Pulek, who is hitting .436, slugging, .723 and has a .521 on-base percentage, has scored 38 runs and brought in 32. Frost rounds out the deadly trio with 36 runs scored and 31 RBI thanks to 10 doubles, four homers and three triples.  

Ali Yamakaitis and Taylor Holmes have been nearly untouchable in the circle, collecting 11 wins each. Yamakaitis has twirled 100.2 innings, allowed 40 runs on 79 hits, walked 34 and struck out 62 for a 1.67 ERA, with Holmes seeing 90.0 innings of action, giving up 43 runs on 86 hits, punching out 60 and walking 33 for a 1.94 ERA. Kim Crucioli has been a potent third arm for the Rams with the junior owning an 8-2 record with two saves in 55.2 innings and a 2.51 ERA.

LAST TIME OUT
The Suffolk softball team closed its non-conference, regular-season in thrilling fashion Wednesday afternoon as the Rams swept Curry, extending their win streak to nine and tallying wins 30 and 31 of the season. 

MORE READING: Softball Hits 30-Win Mark with Two Victories at Curry

ROAD TO 33
Suffolk became just the third team in the program's 32-year history to exceed 30 wins in a single season and the first group of Rams to do so in a decade as it swept Curry Wednesday afternoon taking the opener 7-4 and the closer 6-1 in six innings. 

The Rams are chasing history as they look to upstage the 2005 and 2006 team's total wins of 31 and 32, respectively, to be the winningest squad in Suffolk softball history.  

THE FIELD
#2 St. Joseph (Conn.) - 26-10 overall - 16-6 GNAC - WEBSITE - STATS - Rams vs. Blue Jays in 2016 (1-1)
It has been a great season for St. Joseph, as it enters the tournament as the second seed with a 26-10 overall record and 16-6 GNAC ledger. The Blue Jays will face the winner of No. 7 Albertus Magnus - No. 3 Johnson & Wales Friday afternoon. 

The senior sister tandem of Patti Sciglimpaglia and Mary Sciglimpagli have ben leading a potent St. Joseph offense this season. P. Sciglimpaglia leas the team with 57 hits, 26 for extra bases, 47 RBI, while boasting one of the highest batting averages in the league .463. She also leads the team with 33 runs. M. Sciglimagali, meanwhile, has produced 48 hits, 34 RBI and 17 runs this season. 

P. Sciglimpaglia has proved to be the one of the most dominant pitchers in the league, bringing a 17-3 record into the tournament to go with 162 strikeouts and a 0.73 ERA. 

#3 Johnson & Wales - 27-10 overall - 15-7 GNAC - WEBSITE - STATS - Rams vs. Wildcats in 2016 (1-1)
Johnson & Wales ended its regular season with two setbacks versus St. Joseph (Conn.) to claim the third seed in the conference tournament and will play seventh-seeded Albertus Magnus Friday afternoon.

Jennifer Corona is the top arm for the Wildcats as she holds a 16-5 record in 120.0 innings pitched, striking out 89 for a team-best 0.99 ERA.  

Emily Gorecki has the top batting average among qualified players, hitting at a .496 clip with 50 rBI. Kristen Solari's 60 hits and 38 runs scored lead the Wildcats, while Brenna Duperry has swiped a team-high 16 bases.  

#4 Norwich - 17-17 overall - 15-7 GNAC - WEBSITE - STATS - Rams vs. Cadets in 2016 (2-0)
Norwich won its three final games to secure the fourth seed in the GNAC tournament.  

Taylor Morris is the Cadets' force at the plate with a .402 batting average, 43 hits and 19 RBI. The freshman pitching tandem of Emily Oliver and Rachel Johnson own nearly all of Norwich's wins, which are all against conference competition. Oliver is 6-7 with 83.2 innings of action and a 3.10 ERA. Johnson is 9-9 with a 3.26 ERA and 119 strikeouts.  

#5 Emmanuel  - 23-15 overall - 14-8 GNAC - WEBSITE - STATS - Rams vs. Saints in 2016 (1-1)
The fifth seeded Saints of Emmanuel advanced in the tournament thanks to a 5-4 win over Mount Ida Tuesday.

Catherine Davis' bat paces the Saints with the senior contributing team highs in this (44), triples (5), RBI (23) and runs (31).  Casey Sheehan is the most consistent hitter for Emmanuel with the freshman putting together a .363 average on 41 hits, 12 RBI and scoring 16 runs. 

Three different arms have graced the circle for Emmanuel. Megan Kieselback is 3-2 with a team-high 37 Ks and 3.35 ERA. Olivia Burgos is 2-6 with a 3.56 ERA and Adams rounds out the Saints' staff with the junior pitching 26.1 innings this season and striking out 16.  

#7 Albertus Magnus - 22-15 overall - 12-10 GNAC - WEBSITE - STATS - Rams vs. Falcons in 2016 (1-1)
Albertus Magnus dropped 7 of its last nine in the season to slip into the seventh spot in conference tournament.  

Gillian Fortier paces the Falcons offense with a .394 average, 17 RBI. Brianna Whitfield, meanwhile, has produced team-highs in hits (42) and runs (25) with Megan Kelly also scoring 25 runs. Albertus Magnus has used six pitchers with Megan Ferraro leading the staff with a 2.29 ERA and a 14-4 record. Mristen Cunning, meanwhile, has thrown 52.0 innings, for a 3.37 ERA and five wins (5-4) to her credit.