SOFTBALL FALLS TO .500 AFTER TRIPLEHEADER SWEEP

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                        FOR MORE INFORMATION
March 18, 2004                                                                           Contact: Seth Cole
By Josh Kessler '04                                                                     Phone: (802) 654-2537

FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Saint Michael's College softball team saw its longest winning streak in 24 years come to an end on Thursday while getting swept in a tripleheader at the 15th Annual Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic.

Saint Michael's lost the first game to Northeast-10 Conference rival Franklin Pierce College, 3-1. The Purple Knights (4-4) had won four in a row, their most since the 1981 season. The Ravens (4-1-1) plated a pair of unearned runs in the first inning to take the lead for good. Senior Sara Pope (West Springfield, Mass./West Springfield) singled and scored Saint Michael's lone run on freshman Casey Brooks' (Colchester, Vt./Colchester) fifth-inning double. Junior Heather Chamberlin (Danville, Vt./Danville) was the hard-luck loser after allowing two hits and two unearned runs in four innings.

In Game 2, freshman Meggan Roberge (Sheldon Springs, Vt./Missisquoi Valley Union) had her fourth straight impressive start on the hill but took the 1-0 loss against Teikyo Post University (4-2-1). In her complete-game effort, Roberge allowed an unearned run in the top of the seventh inning for the game's lone run while yielding four hits and two walks and striking out six. Sophomore Elizabeth Pigeon (St. Albans, Vt./BFA-St. Albans) singled twice, and freshman Meg Currier (Greenfield, Mass./Stoneleigh-Burnham School) doubled.

The Purple Knights lost their third game of the day to Florida Gulf Coast University, 12-0, in a five-inning affair. Saint Michael's trailed only 2-0 before the Eagles (21-10) plated four runs in the fourth inning and six more in the fifth. Junior Noelle Gill (Deep River, Conn./Mercy) singled twice in the loss.

Saint Michael's finishes up its 10-game Florida trip on Friday with a 1 p.m. contest against Buffalo State College and a 4 p.m. match-up with St. Thomas University.

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For more information please contact the SMC Sports Information Office at (802) 654-2537
Last Revised: October 25, 2002