by The Cowl Editor on March 21, 2019

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Athlete of the Week

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Paladino has Highest Finish for PC Since 1994

by Meaghan Cahill ’20

Sports Coeditor

For the first time since 1994, Millie Paladino ’19RS became the highest mile finisher from Providence College to place at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships. Placing third in the nation in an event that only 16 people nationwide qualified for, Paladino ran a 4:38.44 mile, a time that also earned her First Team All-America Honors.

Having been told by Head Coach Ray Treacy that she could finish anywhere from eighth to first, Paladino says that she was “really happy and proud” of her accomplishment.

“It means a lot for me to do it for the school because it’s one of our highest places in the last couple of years so I think it really puts the team and the program on the map in the NCAA, which is always really good to do,” Paladino commented.

Her third place finish concluded a very tactical race in which Paladino reserved her energy by maintaining a solid seventh place position and then pulling ahead to third in the final 100 meters. To Paladino, the race was more mind over matter as she felt she had to prepare for it more mentally than physically.

“For prep…your physical prep is done [during the season]. You have to really work on telling yourself that you’re good enough to do this and that you’re prepared for this. The whole season has led up to this…I just have to tell myself that it’s not worth it to step on the line if you’re not confident in what you can do. Otherwise, why do it at all?” said Paladino.

Having transferred to PC from West Virginia University after her sophomore year because she felt that she would not get to be the best runner that she could be if she remained there, Paladino primarily chose to join the Friar family due to the success of Coach Treacy.

“He’s the best in the biz!” praised Paladino when talking about Treacy’s influence to come to PC. “I never looked back.”

In her time with the Friars, Paladino has a number of top-three regular season finishes and has consistently been recognized by earning NCAA First Team All-America Honors. At the Big East level, Paladino recently won her third career Big East title when she was crowned 3,000-meter champion—the first Friar to win the event since 2015. She also set a school record for the 1,000-meter race this season with a time that is also the 12th fastest mark in collegiate history.

Paladino’s continued success, especially within this current season, in what she describes as a “day-to-day” sport, has all added up to the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association naming Paladino the 2019 Northeast Region Female Track Athlete of the Year.

And while Paladino recognizes that running is very much an individual sport, she does not believe she could have had any of her success without her team.

“I can only do so much on my own…I owe the whole world to [the team] honestly,” says Paladino. “I think people really underestimate the people you are surrounded by and if I didn’t have my teammates to train with throughout the season…I would never have gotten this far.”

On the topic of her teammates, Paladino admitted that the cross country team’s Big East Championship win her junior year is her favorite memory.

“I still wear my ring,” she proudly admitted.

With the winter track season coming to a close, Paladino and the rest of the track teams are gearing up and heading outdoors with the start of the spring season, a season in which Paladino says the only main difference is that things are done outside.

“Mileages stay the same and your focus has to stay the same so your focus does not look that different even though it might,” she comments on going from one season to the other.

With a goal of finishing out her career at PC with an outdoor track Big East Championship title, Paladino also hopes to make it to Nationals again and just “make the most [of her final season].” And with the end in sight, she hopes to keep running and as she gets more “mature” in her running, she plans to up her distance, hoping to eventually run a marathon.

“But, I think that’s so far in the future,” she concludes.

Paladino will continue her distance running into the spring season, running both the 1,500 meter race as well as the mile as that is where her “strengths” are.

“Never give in,” is how she would encapsulate her running career. “If it’s really what you love and it’s your dream, keep chasing it because you’ll really surprise yourself.”

by The Cowl Editor on March 21, 2019

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Friar Sports

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Friars Finish Season with Winning Record; Secure Spot in WNIT

By Thomas Zinzarella ’21

After an impressive regular season, the Providence College Women’s Basketball Team headed to Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois to test their fate in the Big East Tournament. The official seeding was not set until the final weekend of Big East play. The Friars earned the #7 seed in the tournament and were faced with the task of the #10 seed, the Xavier University Musketeers.

The Friars were able to down the Musketeers by a final score of 70-62 to advance to the Big East Quarterfinals. The Friars held a 12-point lead at half but, the Musketeers kept pursuing the Friars, cutting the lead within six at one point before the Friars went on a 6-0 run and ultimately won the game. The Friars were led in scoring by Olivia Orlando ’21 who caught fire for a career high 18 points (9-11 FG). Maddie Jolin ’19 poured in another 15 points for the Friars.

The keys to the win were the Friars’ ability to control the glass and also only turn the ball over eight times which was the second lowest total of the season. “We have very little chance tomorrow if we turn it over a bunch like we’ve done the two times we’ve played DePaul,” stated Providence Head Coach Jim Crowley. “Now, they force it, they play at a really high pace, but we have to be better taking care of the ball. We’re fairly efficient offensively when we do take care of it.” The Friars’ win over Xavier was their first victory in the Big East tournament since 2001.

The Friars faced the future Big East Champs, the DePaul University Blue Demons. The Friars once again fell early as they trailed 9-20 after the first quarter. At one point, the Blue Demons were on a 12-0 run before the Friars took a timeout. The Blue Demons continued to roll in the second quarter where the lead was pushed up to 19 points before the Friars used a run of their own to close it within 12. In the second half, the Friars closed the defecit to single digits halfway through the third quarter before the Blue Demons were able to close things out and defeat the Friars 85-60. Mary Baskerville ’21 scooped up 10 of her team high 17 points in the 4th quarter. Each squad finished the game with 19 turnovers but benefited DePaul. “Their shot-making is exemplary, it’s outstanding, and they really put a lot of pressure on you because you make a mistake and they make you pay, and they did so to us,” Crowley commented after the game.

Although this loss ended their regular season and conference play, Coach Crowley alluded to some hope for postseason play. “Having coached in the WNIT a few times, we think that’s an amazing opportunity and we’d be honored to be a part of that.”

On Monday night, the Women’s National Invitation Tournament field was announced, and the Friars were able to secure a bid. This is the Friars’ first postseason appearance since 2010. The Friars will host the University of Hartford Hawks on Thursday at 7 p.m. in Alumni Hall.

by The Cowl Editor on February 28, 2019

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Uncategorized

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By Gavin Woods ’22

Sports Staff

It has been a busy week for the Men’s Basketball Team. In the span of six days, Providence College played two home games versus St. John’s University and Marquette University, before their matchup at Butler University. 

The Friars started the week with a home game against St. John’s, who is currently third in the Big East. To say that St. John’s had the momentum going into the game would be an understatement, especially coming off staggering wins against Marquette, Butler, and most recently, Villanova. However, the Friars had won their last matchup just two weeks prior, and they showed no signs of backing down. 

PC came out hot at the start of the game, scoring an early three from  Makai Ashton-Langford ’21. The name of the game for Providence, however, was defense. The Friars did not give up a single point until 7:49 into the game, with a lead of 9-2. Perhaps even more impressive, PC was able to almost completely shut down Shamorie Ponds, the leading scorer for St. John’s, who averages 19.7 points per game. Ponds finished the night with two points, well below his season average. 

The Friars were able to hold on to their decisive lead, finishing with a final score of 78-59. There was not a single lead change throughout the game. 

Next, PC faced the Golden Eagles of Marquette, who are currently at the top of the Big East standings. Marquette boasts a win percentage of .85 and a conference record of 12-2. Marquette certainly came into the game with confidence, as they won their last matchup against Providence. 

The Golden Eagles began the game scoring early and often. They led at the half  by 11 with a score of 31-20. Providence seemed to be containing Marquette’s star guard, Markus Howard, who averages 25 PPG, holding him to only 14 points. However, this enabled Marquette to adapt, using their other weapons including Sakar Anim  and brothers Sam and Joey Hauser. Marquette had a total of five double-digit scorers, compared to Providence’s three.

The biggest difference between PC and Marquette was shooting accuracy. The Golden Eagles sank 54.9 percent of their field goals, 47.6 percent from three and 76.9 percent of free throws. This is compared to the Friars’ percentages of 28.6 from the field, 30 from three, and just 50 from the free throw line. 

The game’s lead scorer was Alpha Diallo ’20 who dropped 19 with six rebounds. However, it was Marquette’s Sam Houser who stole the show with an impressive 18-point 13-rebound double-double.

Their next game proved to be the closest for Providence, as they traveled to face off with Butler. Of the three games, this was the closest matchup, with both Providence and Butler having an overall record of 15-13. This was the first meeting between the two teams during the 2018-2019 season, and both teams were desperate to improve their conference record. 

Though the game was tight throughout, Providence seemed to have the slight edge. The Friars’ largest lead was 14 points with 7:15 left in the first half. However, a rapid comeback from the Bulldogs resulted in a Providence lead by just five points at the half. The battle continued through the second half, with a total of four lead changes. Providence continued their offensive game plan, facilitating the ball through Nate Watson ’21. Watson led the Friars in scoring with 21 points. 

Towards the end of the second half, PC began to build their lead over Butler. The Friars were up by seven points with less than a minute left to play. However, Cooley elected to continue his strategy to not foul the other team until the end of the game. This enabled Butler to come back from their deficit and tie the game, due to several Providence turnovers. This gave PC one last chance to end the game, with 10 seconds left in the second half. A failed open three point shot from David Duke ’22 sent the game to overtime, where the Friars outscored Butler 11-5.

Though the Friars seem to have found themselves in a late season slump, with a record of 6-10 in the Big East conference, these two conference wins will certainly help PC in their placement for the Big East tournament.

by The Cowl Editor on February 14, 2019

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Friar Sports

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By Thomas Zinzarella ’21

Sports Staff

This past weekend, the Providence College Women’s Basketball Team returned home, where they had a two game homestand against the Seton Hall University Pirates and the St. John’s University Red Storm. The Friars had previously played both of these teams on the road earlier in the year, falling to the Pirates back on Jan. 13, 79-73. The Friars hosted Seton Hall on Friday, February 8, defeating them 82-75 in Alumni Hall.

Both teams started the game off hot by shooting over 50 percent from the floor before Seton Hall took a nine-point lead heading into halftime. The Friars were able to keep it close thanks to Kyra Spiwak ’22, who scored 11 points in 12 minutes off the bench in the first half of the game. It was all Friars in the second half, led by Maddie Jolin ’19 who scored 21 of her 25 total points in the second half. Jolin finished the game three for five from behind the arc and a perfect 10 for 10 from the charity stripe. Mary Baskerville ’22 also pulled in a strong performance for the Friars, notching her 4th career double-double, scoring 14 points, 14 rebounds, and adding three blocks. Baskerville now has 41 blocks, tying the freshman program record, with five more Big East regular season contests to come.

The Friars continued the charge with their defensive presence by holding the Big East leading scorer Shaheen Samuels to just three points in the second half after her 14-point burst in the first half. The Friars came back from a 13-point deficit to split the season series.

After the game, Head Coach Jim Crowley believed that his team was outhustled in the first half, “The last three minutes of the 3rd quarter got us believing…a couple of shots dropped, and it just got us going.” Coach Crowley emphasized his team “being able to get to the foul line” was key in the second half. The Friars shot 18 for 19 from the free throw line in the game while going 17 for 17 from the line in the second half.

On Sunday, the Friars took on St. John’s University. The Friars defeated the Red Storm in overtime back on Jan. 11 with a score of 67-66. The Friars started the game hot with a 9-0 run before St. John’s was forced to call a timeout.

The Friars continued to surge in the second quarter, when an 8-2 run put them ahead 23-12 before St. John’s closed the half on a 15-4 run. The Friars once again tried to get to the free throw line in the second half as they did on Friday night. The Friars were a perfect 10 for 10 but were unable to lift the lid off the basket. Friars shot just 1-14 from downtown in the game. The Friars were defeated in the end by a final score of 60-57. They were once again led by Jolin, who scored 14 points while Baskerville followed suit with another double-double, scoring 11 points and snatching 11 rebounds. The Friars are now 14-11 ooveralland 6-7 in the Big East.

The Friars will head out to play the Xavier  University Musketeers and the Butler University Bulldogs on the road before heading back to Providence to finish their regular season with a three game homestand. You can watch the Friars take on Xavier this Friday on Fox Sports 2 at 7 p.m.

by The Cowl Editor on February 14, 2019

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Friar Sports

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Friars Go Into “Do or Die” Mode as They Get Ready for Playoffs

By Sullivan Burgess ’20

Sports Staff

The last week has been difficult and disappointing for the Providence College Men’s Basketball Team, but nevertheless an improvement from what the season has provided, helping fans and students keep a positive mindset moving forward as the season progresses towards its finale at Madison Square Garden for the Big East Tournament.

The week began with the Friars headlining a home game against the 15-9 Georgetown University Hoyas. After a stunning defeat in overtime at Georgetown, the Friars looked to bounce back and secure a win. Unfortunately, while keeping a close game throughout the first half, the second half of the game belonged to Georgetown as they went on a scoring tear, defeating the Friars 76-67.

This put the Hoyas in fourth place in the Big East standings; while the Friars have jumped back and forth in the standings, currently they are in ninth place.

After the game, Head Coach Ed Cooley stated, “It has just been one of those years. You just have to hang in there and get onto the next game…I never want to get used to losing…and we have to get our team into a good space.”

On a side note, during the game forward/guard Alpha Diallo ’20 became one of only 50 Friars to join the 1,000-point club.

Later that week, the Friars traveled down to the city that never sleeps and took on St. John’s University with a record of 18-7. This was the first matchup of the two teams this season, and all eyes have been on St. John’s point guard Shamorie Ponds, who led his team to victory against Marquette University.

However, the Friars managed to turn things around and handed St. John’s a loss at their home court—Madison Square Garden—with a final score of 70-56. The game was led by center Nate Watson ’21 who scored 18 points and had five rebounds. There was also a notable double-double from Diallo, who had 10 points and 15 rebounds.

This spark was needed as the Friars traveled down to play against the always red-hot Villanova University. While the Friars bounced back and forth for the lead against the Wildcats, the last few minutes of the second half belonged to the Villanova as they went on a scoring tear to end the game at 85-67. Watson lead in scoring again with another 18 point game and six rebounds, however, it was not enough to stop Eric Paschall and Phil Booth’s 25 and 22 point game, respectively.

This now puts Providence at one of their lowest records at 14-11 overall, and 4-8 in the entire conference. The Friars now need to figure out a gameplay strategy that works for them for the remaining six games of the season.

The next game brings the team back home to the Dunk against Xavier University for the two teams’ second matchup of the season. The last time these two met up in Cincinnati, the Friars found themselves a 64-62 victory, and will look to reignite that spark to avoid another losing streak.

While so far the road has seemed tough, the road ahead does show some light. It may look as if the Friars are knocked out right now with no chance of a March Madness appearance this season, but fans and critics will continue to show support for their hometown Friars.

by The Cowl Editor on February 14, 2019

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PCI

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The University of Connecticut

By Scott Jarosz ’21

Sports Staff

As of late, there have been talks regarding the Big East conference adding a new team. The league was founded with basketball as its main asset, but eventually became a league  with  football  powerhouses  such as the University of Pittsburgh and Syracuse University.

In 2012, the non-football members of the Big East branched away from the football schools to form the new Big East.

The Big East conference currently features 10 members, seven of which were part of the original Big East. Butler University, Xavier University, and Creighton University were added to the conference as it shifted from focusing on football to basketball.

One team that was part of the original basketball-focused Big East was the University of Connecticut who, since its departure from the Big East, has joined the American Athletic Conference (AAC). While in the AAC, UConn has struggled and has been unable to prove that it belongs in the conference. UConn’s football team failed to win a conference game in the 2018 season and finished with a record of 1-11, its sole win against Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) opponent University of Rhode Island.

The team failed to attract fans and according to the Hartford Courant, UConn’s athletic department earned around $40 million in revenue to go along with over $80 million in expenses. Many signs are pointing to the UConn football program dropping down from the more-competitive Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) to the FCS, where it would likely find more success.

In addition to struggling in the AAC, UConn sticks out among the other members of its conference. It is the only member of the conference in New England, with its closest counterpart being Temple University, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Most other members of the conference are located in Florida, Texas, and other southern states. With this in mind, as well as UConn being an original member of the Big East, if the Big East decides to add an expansion team, it should be UConn.

UConn was at its best when it was a member of the Big East. Arguably, one of UConn’s most iconic moments from this time was the men’s basketball team’s incredible 2011 run in the Big East Tournament when it won five games in a row, including the championship. The team went on to win the NCAA National Championship against Butler University. UConn returning to the Big East would also allow the renewal of the rivalry between Providence College and UConn.

If the Big East decides to add an additional member to the conference, it should be UConn.

by The Cowl Editor on February 14, 2019

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PCI

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Boston College

By Gavin Woods ’22

Sports Staff

The Big East conference has produced nail-biting matchups between rival schools along the east coast since 1979. It is hard to imagine the conference with any other teams, as the current teams have long been associated with one another. However, if the Big East were to add another team to their list, who would it be?

Several factors are involved when deciding a conference configuration. Perhaps the most important of these factors is the school size. Roughly all schools in the Big East are categorized as medium-sized schools, ranging from 4,000 to 16,000 undergraduate students. 

Another variable in this decision is location. This factor, however, does not hold as much value as the size, as Marquette University is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, yet still participates in the Big East. Nonetheless, the majority of Big East schools are located relatively close to the east coast region. 

One school that satisfies both of these requisites is Boston College. With an undergraduate class of roughly 9,300, as well as its location just outside of the city of Boston, the Eagles would be an appropriate addition to the Big East conference. 

While size and location help to categorize colleges and universities in their respective conferences, it is ultimately the caliber of the program that will determine whom they should play. The overall ambition of a conference is to produce a highly competitive tournament for the conference title. This begs the question, “Can Boston College compete with the Big East powerhouses?” 

The answer to this question is complicated, as it is difficult to compare the teams in the Big East to Boston College, which is included in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). However, it helps to look at non-conference games between Boston College and some of the Big East teams to see their compatibility. An example of this can be seen in the most recent meeting of Providence College and Boston College in basketball. 

This game took place on Tuesday, December 4, and it proved to be an exciting match-up. The two teams were neck-and-neck throughout the game, yet BC seemed to have a slight edge with a lead of four points at the half. Boston College continued their success in the second half, but the Friars were right behind them. Towards the end of the second half, Boston College led by three with one PC possession left in the game. If it were not for A.J. Reeves ’22 scoring the last-second deep three point shot to take the Friars into overtime, Boston College would have walked away with the win. 

If nothing else, this meeting proved that Boston College has the potential to compete with the best the Big East has to offer.

by The Cowl Editor on January 17, 2019

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Friar Sports

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Nogic Breaks 3-Point Record; Team Sweeps Friar Classic

By Jack Belanger ’21

Sports Co-Editor

This basketball season has been one full of turnarounds and milestones for the Providence College Women’s Basketball Team. Only 18 games into their season the Friars have already matched their overall win total from last season at 10. The team is on pace to have its best record under third-year Head Coach Jim Crowley.

Just before students left for winter break, Jovana Nogic ’19 broke the school record for three-pointers when she hit her 253rd shot against the University of Massachusetts-Lowell on Dec. 8, breaking former Friar Julie Wheeler’s ’98 record set in 1998. Nogic felt that achieving the record has been a reward for the work she has put in during her four seasons at the College.

“It is truly a blessing to be among great Friar names and to be able to be at the top of them,” said Nogic. “And of course, it shows as well how much my teammates trust me.”

She is also climbing up the team’s all-time scoring list. With 1,483 points to her name, Nogic  currently has the eighth most points in team history.

The Friars ended their nonconference schedule on a high note, going 3-0 in the Friar Holiday Classic at Alumni Hall, highlighted by a 77-47 victory over La Salle University, putting them at 8-4 going into the Big East schedule. Nogic was named the Classic’s MVP while Mary Baskerville ’22 was also named to the All-Tournament Team after she scored 18 points and grabbed 17 rebounds against La Salle.

While the team had plenty of momentum going into Big East play, the Friars started out with a tough task as their first two conference games were against Marquette University and DePaul University, both of which are Top 25-ranked teams. PC struggled shooting the ball in both games and took two tough losses.

The Friars got their first Big East win of the season on Jan. 6 at home, defeating Villanova University 67-61. Nogic scored 23 points in the game, leading all scorers. Maddie Jolin ’19 also scored a season-high 18 points.

With the score being tied at 56 and about three minutes left, PC went on an 11-2 run, highlighted by eight points from Nogic, to put the game out of reach down the stretch and seal the win.

In their next game against St. John’s University, the Friars once again found themselves in a close game after a slow start that caused them to fall into an 11-point deficit halfway through the third quarter. The Friars managed to work themselves back into the lead after a 9-0 run to begin the fourth quarter, taking the lead 51-48.

The Friars held onto the lead with the clock winding down, but St. John’s sunk a three at the buzzer to tie the game 57-57 and force overtime.

In overtime, the Friars led by as many as five points but saw their lead disappear when they fouled St. John’s with the score at 66-63. Akina Wellere of St. John’s would hit three free-throws with 11 seconds left. Jolin, who finished with 19 points, came in clutch for PC as she forced a foul and sealed the game by making one of two free throws and gave the Friars their second victory in a row.

Currently, the Friars’ record in the Big East stands at 2-4. While this does not seem impressive on the surface, the team is still optimistic that they can compete in the Big East Tournament. Looking forward to the rest of the season, Nogic wants the team to keep working every day to put themselves in a good position come March. “We definitely want to keep improving each game and being able to finish close games. The goal is to have the best record we can have walking into the tournament.”

by The Cowl Editor on January 17, 2019

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Friar Sports

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Team Will Consist of Players From Big East

By Sullivan Burgess ’20

Sports Staff

It has been quite an exciting few weeks for Providence College Men’s Basketball Head Coach Ed Cooley. Not only has he been gifted with one of the highest honors in the state of Rhode Island, but also has been given an incredible opportunity for himself and PC basketball.

On December 18, 2018, media and faculty gathered inside the Ruane Friar Development Center to announce that Coach Cooley will be the head coach for Team USA and lead the men’s basketball team at the Pan American Games in Peru this summer. The team itself will consist entirely of players from the Big East Conference.

While this is Cooley’s first time as head coach for Team USA, this is not his first time working with the United States Basketball Team. In the summers of 2013-2015, Cooley served as an assistant coach for the USA Basketball teams. He had won gold at the World Under-19 Championships in 2015.

Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman stated at the press conference, “I think in many ways this is a tribute to what the Big East has accomplished over the last five years. They were looking for a conference with a solid basketball resume. We see this as a great responsibility as well as a great honor.” The U.S. has not represented themselves in the Pan-Am Games in quite a while, in fact the U.S. has not won gold in basketball since 1983. That team consisted of future hall-of-famers Michael Jordan and Chris Mullin.

This year U.S. Basketball decided not to allow professional players of any sort to represent the USA. The team will consist of college players in the Big East. College players who plan to enter into the NBA draft this June are also excluded from participating.

Coach Cooley did not hesitate to take the job as head coach for the team. He stated at the press conference, “I’ve been fortunate to be an assistant coach with Billy Donovan and Sean Miller on a couple of teams but to try to do it as a head coach is an incredible honor and something I’ve always wanted to do.”

A few weeks later, it was announced that golocalprov.com named Ed Cooley as their Rhode Island Man of the Year. When giving the award to him, the website had stated, “Maybe no one epitomizes the spirit of Rhode Island better than this man.”

Throughout all the work he has done on the PC campus, Cooley has become an icon for all the students and teachers to bring a positive attitude towards everyday life.

When accepting the award, he stated how he does not want coaching to define his character, rather “being a better dad, husband, leader and mentor” are the important things that make up what he stands for and how he carries himself through life.

Coach Cooley has captured the spirit of the College, and deserves all the recognition he has been given, including the opportunity to coach Team USA and being named Rhode Island Man of the Year.

by The Cowl Editor on April 12, 2018

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Friar Sports

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Two Friars Make Big East Honor Roll

By Thomas Zinzarella ’21

Sports Staff

This past week, while most of the student body was focused on the Masters Tournament, the Friars were taking the field for their series matchup with the Seton Hall University Pirates.

The Friars started their weekend series with a doubleheader on Friday, where they split both games with Seton Hall. The Friars took the first game 8-6, but the Pirates roared back to win the second with a score of 7-6. The Pirates would win the series with a 3-2 walk-off victory on Saturday.

In game one, the Friars offense was led by Julianne Rurka ’18, who was most recently named to the Big East Honor Roll for the week of March 25. During that week, she hit .250 while driving in four runs. In Friday’s victory, Rurka recorded a 3-3 day while scoring twice. Rurka, who has caught fire at the plate recently, was named All-Big East Second Team last year ranking fourth in the Big East in average (.388) and RBI (21) during conference play.

On the mound, the Friars received a solid outing from Christina Ramirez ’18. Ramirez, who has strung together a collection of strong performances, earned a spot on the Big East Honor Roll for the week of April second. Ramirez threw six and one-third innings, only allowing one earned run in a win on the road versus Creighton.

Against Seton Hall, Ramirez earned her fourth win of the year, throwing a complete game while allowing eight hits and striking out four. Ramirez is having her most dominant season to this point. She has a career-low ERA of 3.25 in 69 innings while also tallying six complete games and one shutout so far in the 2018 campaign. She is currently ranked ninth in the Big East in ERA.

Game two featured Miranda Trinidad ’20 on the mound. Trinidad was also named to the Big East Honor Roll during the week of March 25 for her dominant pitching performance against Georgetown University. Trinidad threw 11 innings and held a 1.27 ERA while only allowing six hits and two runs during the series. The sophomore threw a complete game against the Hoyas on March 24, only allowing one earned run on three hits. Trinidad owns the team’s lowest earned run average with a 3.07 ERA in 59 1/3 innings pitched while throwing six complete games and is currently eighth in the Big East in ERA.

The Friars offense had contributions from multiple players with Emma Lee ’19 going 3-4 with three runs, and Brittney Veler ’18 adding two hits while driving in a run and scoring. The Friars came up just short after taking the lead in the top of the seventh. The Pirates walked it off in the 7-6 victory in the bottom ladder of the seventh.

In the final game of the three-game series, Megan McCune ‘19 took the rubber. McCune was able to keep the Pirate hitters off balance by throwing five innings while only allowing two runs on four hits. Seton Hall scored two in the bottom half of the fifth but the Friars answered right back with Mackensie Compton ’20 hitting a two-run home run. The Pirates were able to squeeze by again with a walk-off single in the 3-2 victory for the Pirates.

The Friars finished the series with a 4-4 record in Big East Conference play and 7-21 in total. The Friars look to bounce back against Villanova University at home on Friday, April 13.