NEW HAVEN, Conn. - The Albertus Magnus College softball team dropped its first game in Pod A of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC), 5-3 to the University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) on Thursday afternoon at the Shea Softball Complex.

With the loss, the Falcons - the two seed in the South Division - will take on Saint Joseph's College of Maine, the fourth seed in the North on Friday at 7 p.m. on the campus of Rivier University. The winner of the game will advance to Saturday, while the loser will be eliminated.

Isabelle Smith (Meriden, Conn.) went 2-for-4 with a run. Skylar Arent (Ridgefield, Conn.) went 1-for-3 with an RBI triple and a run. Both Mikaela Schwippert (Whippany, N.J.) and Karla Carangelo (Cheshire, Conn.) each were 1-for-3 with an RBI.

THE BASICS

FINAL: USJ 5 | Albertus Magnus 3

RECORDS: Albertus (25-16) | USJ (19-17)

BOX

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Falcons scored one in the bottom of the first on an RBI single by Carangelo after the Falcons loaded the bases with no one out. Albertus was unable to get another run across as USJ starter, Paige Fekete was able to get out of the jam.
• Albertus starter Annabelle Jabs (East Hartland, Conn.) retired the first eight batters she faced and struck out five batters over the first three innings.
• The Blus Jays got on the board with two duns in the top of the fifth as Roberts hit an RBI double, followed by an RBI single by Gabby Marichal.
• USJ tacked on two more runs in the top of the fifth to make it a 4-1 game on an RBI single by Jennifer Antonowicz and an RBI double by Kaitlyn Ouellette.
• In the bottom of the fifth, the Falcons responded with two runs of their own. After a one out single by Smith, Arent delivered two batters later with an RBI triple down the right field line to make it a 4-2 game. Schwippert then followed with an RBI single, making it a one-run game.
• USJ pinch hitter, Brianna Catalani hit a solo homer in the top of the sixth for the final run of the game.

ON THE HILL

Albertus

Annabelle Jabs (L, 9-7) 4.1 IP | 5 Hits | 4 Runs | 4 ER | 1 BB | 5 K

Ema Signore 1.2 IP | 3 Hits | 1 Run | 1 ER | 1 BB | 2 K

Skylar Arent 1.0 IP | 0 Hits | 0 Runs | 0 ER | 0 BB | 2 K

USJ

Paige Fekete (W, 6-6) 4.2 IP | 6 Hits | 3 Runs | 3 ER | 2 BB | 5 K

Alyssa Roberts (Save, 1) 2.1 IP | 0 Hits | 0 Runs | 0 ER | 1 BB | 2 K

AT THE PLATE

Albertus

Isabelle Smith 2-for-4 | 1 Run

Skylar Arent 1-for-3 | 1 3B | 1 Run | 1 RBI

Mikaela Schwippert 1-for-3 | 1 RBI

Karla Carangelo 1-for-3 | 1 RBI

USJ

Jennifer Antonowicz 2-for-4 | 1 2B | 1 Run | 1 RBI

Brianna Catalani 1-for-1 | 1 HR

Kaitlyn Ouellette 1-for-3 | 1 2B | 1 RBI

NOTEWORTHY

Carangelo has driven in at least one run in six of her last seven games.

Smith has scored at least one run in six of her last seven games.