Saint Joseph's Softball Caps Play at USF Under Armour Challenge

CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Saint Joseph's softball team capped play at the University of South Florida Under Armour Challenge on Sunday. The Hawks finished the weekend with a 3-2 mark, picking up a win over Providence on Saturday and dropping games to Southern Illinois and South Florida.

In Saturday's first game, the Hawks topped Providence, 4-1, for their third-straight win.

Madeline Brunck scored in the bottom of the first on an RBI single by Brandi Harkness to give SJU the early lead.

The Hawks added a pair of runs in the second as Ashley Alden led off with a home run, and Brunck's sacrifice fly scored Stephanie Chaiser from third to make it a 3-0 game.

The Friars added a run in the top of the sixth, but Saint Joseph's answered in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single by Morgan Earling that scored Sarah Yoos.

A three-run lead was enough for Liz Mendez as she sent the Friars down in order. Mendez allowed one run, while striking out seven, with freshman Niki Carillo picking up the win after going four scoreless innings of work to start.

Versus Southern Illinois in the second game Saturday, the Hawks jumped out to an early lead, but couldn't hold on, falling 7-5.

Nicole Palase got the Hawks on the board in the top of the first with a two-run home run that scored Brunck.

Earling would make it 3-0 in the top of the second, scoring on a sacrifice fly off the bat of classmate Maria Ficca. Hannah Dionne would make it 4-0 scoring on a double steal from third, while Melissa Ruf singled home Brunck to make it a five-run advantage.

Unfortunately for Saint Joseph's, Southern Illinois rallied for two runs in the third, two in the fourth and three in the sixth for the win.

In Sunday's finale versus South Florida, Brunck singled in the first at-bat of the game, but the SJU bats wouldn't fare well from there as Alden's hit by pitch in the second inning was the only Hawk batter to reach base after the first inning.

On the other side, the Bulls tallied two runs in the first, two in the third and another in the fifth to build a 5-0 edge that it would never squander.

Mendez was the hard-luck loser, allowing five runs on six hits, while striking out two.

The Hawks (6-6) return to action Friday at the USF Under Armour Showcase.