Waterbury, Conn. – Samantha Riccardulli was 3-for-5 – including a home run – in the Post University softball team's sweep of Chestnut Hill Saturday afternoon at LaMoy Field, 8-0 and 5-2 in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) doubleheader.
The wins move the Eagles to 8-6 overall and 3-1 in the CACC.
The Eagles scored early and often in the first inning of game one, scoring six runs with two outs in the inning.
Post scored its first two runs on bases loaded walks from Brianna Koref and Julianna Cicala to put the Eagles up 2-0. Alexa Pacy followed with a two-run single, while Riccardulli drove in a pair of runs with a two-run single of her own to give the Eagles a 6-0 lead. The Eagles batted around that inning, with Riccardulli reaching base twice.
The Eagles scored two more in the bottom of the second on a two-run double by Kasey Jusino, who drove in Bailee Zaccaro and Allyson Wallauer who drew back-to-back walks to lead off the inning.
Post took care of business on the mound as Koref pitched three shutout innings and striking out one, while Alyssa Hughes closed out the game with two scoreless innings of her own.
Riccardulli finished game one going 1-for-2 with two RBI and a walk. Jusino was 1-for-2 with a run and an RBI, as was Pacy.
In game two, after surrendering a run in the top of the first, the Eagles answered in the bottom of the inning on an RBI triple from Wallauer to tie the game at 1-1.
The two teams went scoreless over the next two innings before the Eagles took their first lead of the game in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI single from Pacy that scored Jusino, who singled to lead off the inning.
In the bottom of the fifth, Riccardulli led off with her first career homer, giving the Eagles a 3-1 lead.
The Griffins (5-15, 0-4 CACC) cut the Post lead to one with a run top of the sixth, but the Eagles answered as Rianne Mayer and Pacy led off the inning with singles before Riccardulli put the game away with a two-run single to put the Eagles up 5-2.
Maddison Caldwell pitched a complete game, allowing just two earned runs on eight hits and a walk while striking out three.
Riccardulli finished game two 2-for-3 with three RBI and a run. Zaccaro was 2-for-4 and Pacy was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run.
The Eagles now own a 24-4 all-time lead over Chestnut Hill, including a current six game winning streak.
Up next, the Eagles head down to the University of New Haven to take on the Chargers in a non-conference doubleheader on March 29 at 2:30 p.m.
