St. Mary's blanks Sacred Heart, Sharks' first MMA loss in four years
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

The Sacred Heart softball team's win streak in the Monsignor Martin Association is over.

Freshman pitcher Lauren Wesolowski pitched a six-hit shutout as St. Mary's of Lancaster blanked Sacred Heart, 6-0, at the Amherst Pepsi Center last Wednesday, ending the Sharks' 37-game unbeaten streak in league play. Wesolowski struck out 11 batters.

The last time Sacred Heart lost to an MMA opponent came against Holy Angels four years ago in the All-Catholic finals.

The St. Mary's loss was the Sharks' own undoing. Sacred Heart committed three errors in the first inning and St. Mary's scored three runs on no hits.

"Giving up three runs early was tough for us to come back from," said Sacred Heart coach Mike Injaychock.

The Sharks also left six runners on base.

Senior Pam Formoso tossed a four-hitter and struck out four batters. Jen Martin recorded two hits while senior Katie Salisbury, freshman Jill Perillo and sophomores Julie Roessler and Caitlin Schenk each had one hit.

The Sharks' season opener almost became the streak ender but Sacred Heart rallied to beat Nardin, 4-3, in eight innings on April 8 at the Pepsi Center.

With two outs and runners on second and third base, Formoso had a base hit and Salisbury, who got on by an error, scored from third and senior Brieanna Brink, who walked, came around from second to score.

In the eighth, Roessler laid down a bunt and Jessica Prater scored the winning run. Prater started at second base per international tiebreaker rules.

The Sharks also scored a run in the fourth when senior Allison Gravelle singled and Salisbury, who had stolen second, came around to score.

Formoso threw a three-hitter with 11 strikeouts and helped her cause with two hits at the plate. Salisbury added two hits.

Prater tripled. Perrilo, Brink, Martin and Schenk each had hits.

Sacred Heart (1-1) returns to action at 4:15 p.m. on Wednesday, April 23 at Cazenovia Park against Mt. Mercy.