Sandrini Pitches Saints Past Fairfield, 4-0
MAAC Sports
FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Senior Jessika-Jo Sandrini tossed a complete game three-hit shutout to lead Siena College to a 4-0 victory over Fairfield University in the 2014 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Softball Championship at Fairfield University’s Alumni Stadium.
The win puts Siena into the Softball Championship’s Game 8, scheduled for Friday at 2 p.m., facing the winner of Game 6, Manhattan vs. Monmouth. Fairfield was eliminated from the Championship after falling to Iona and Siena on Thursday.
Sandrini faced 24 batters, throwing 77 pitches including 54 strikes. She added seven strikeouts as she improved her record to 20-11 on the season.
The two teams battled through four scoreless innings until Siena broke through with a pair of runs in the fifth inning. Lauren Milligan led off the inning with a bunt single and advanced to second on a throwing error. Mikayla Powlowsky worked out a walk, and then Paige Lloyd reached on an error, scoring Milligan to give Siena a 1-0 lead. Stefanie Viggiano then drove Powlowsky on an infield ground out.
The Saints added two insurance runs in the sixth when Milligan picked up a RBI on a sacrifice fly to left, and Melanie Kalesse had a RBI single.
Sandrini and Abby Carpenter each had a pair of hits for the Saints, who improved their record 29-25. It is an all-time mark for single season victories for Siena.
Fairfield starter Rae Ball went 5.1 innings for the Stags, allowing six hits and all four runs. The Stags conclude their season at 20-22.