NEW HAVEN, Conn. - The Albertus Magnus College softball team kept its 2026 season alive with an improbable five-run comeback to defeat Saint Joseph's College of Maine 7-6 in 10 innings after losing the first game of the day, 3-2 to Rivier University in Pod B of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Championships at the Shea Softball Complex on Saturday afternoon.
Izzy Barreiro (Southington, Conn.) drove in the game-winning run and Reilly Austin (Cumberland, R.I.) drove in the tying run in the bottom of the tenth inning.
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Barreiro went 3-for-6 in the second game with three RBI. Karla Carangelo (Cheshire, Conn.) went 3-for-5 with a double in game two while scoring and driving in a run. She also notched her 100th career hit in the game against Rivier. Amelia Boulli (Torrington, Conn.) went 2-for-4 and drew two walks while scoring twice in the win over SJC.
Mikaela Schwippert (Whippany, N.J.) drove in the game-tying run in the bottom of the seventh to send the game into extra innings.
Annabelle Jabs (East Hartland, Conn.) pitched a complete game against Rivier and pitched 3.2 innings of relief against SJC and earned the win. Amelia Ovalles (Lawrence, Mass.) pitched four innings of scoreless relief.
The Falcons - who have one loss in the double elimination format - now advance to Sunday's Pod B final against Rivier, who has yet to lose in Pod B. The Falcons need to win two games to advance to the GNAC Championship. The first game will begin at 10 a.m. at the Shea Softball Complex. A second game, if necessary, will follow at 1 p.m.
Game 2 vs. SJC
THE BASICS
FINAL: Albertus 7 | SJC 6 (10)
RECORDS: Albertus (23-17) | SJC (19-22)
BOX
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Falcons fell behind 1-0 at the end of the first inning after a sacrifice fly from Chantelle Bouchard.
- SJC added four more runs in the top of the third, including a two-run single by Bouchard, an RBI triple by Kryslin Stearns and a sacrifice fly by Sadie Tirrell.
- Ovalles came in the game with one out in the third inning and pitched four scoreless innings, keeping the bats of the Monks at bay.
- After the Falcons left six runners on base over the first four innings, they were finally able to break through with four runs in the bottom of the fifth, all coming with two outs. Smith singled and Boulli walked to put runners on first and second. Carangelo then hit a line drive single to centerfield. Boulli and Smith both scored on the play as Carangelo advanced to third on the throw and an error on the SJC defense. Ovalles followed with a walk and Barreiro ripped a double down the left field line, making it a 5-4 game.
- Jabs, who pitched all seven innings in game one, came into the game with one out in the seventh inning and retired both batters she faced with two runners on base.
- The Falcons left runners on the corners in the bottom of the sixth, but had one more chance in the bottom of the seventh to keep their season alive. After the first two batters were retired, Gina Solow (Fairfield, Conn.) drew a walk to start the rally. She'd advance to second on a wild pitch and Hailey Summers (Putnam, Conn.) - in just her sixth at-bat of the season - poked a single to right field to put runners on the corner. Schwippert came up and then hit a single to centerfield to score Solow, tying the game at 5-5.
- The Monks left one runner on base in both the eighth and ninth innings while the Falcons left three runners on over the same two innings.
- In the top of the tenth, the Monks regained the lead as Kiera Gabric singled to drive in Makayla Quintal, who singled with one out earlier in the inning.
- During a dramatic bottom of the tenth, a misplay in the outfield allowed Boulli to reach second base. She then advanced to third on a wild pitch. Austin, who hit a walkoff double in a win over Mitchell to clinch the GNAC South Division, came through again in the big moment with a single down the left field line to score Boulli and tie the game. Two batters later, Ovalles doubled, putting runners on second and third. Barreiro followed, and on a 0-1 pitch, she hit a deep drive to centerfield over the head of the outfielder, driving home Austin and keeping the season alive for the Falcons.
IN THE CIRCLE
Albertus
Karla Carangelo 2.1 IP | 5 Hits | 5 Runs | 4 ER | 1 BB | 1 K
Amelia Ovalles 4.0 IP | 6 Hits | 0 Runs | 0 ER | 1 BB | 2 K
Annabelle Jabs (W, 12-8) 3.2 IP | 3 Hits | 1 Run | 0 ER | 1 BB | 2 K
SJC
Miranda Northrup 4.2 IP | 7 Hits | 4 Runs | 3 ER | 4 BB | 2 K
Olivia Thomas (L, 3-7) 4.2 IP | 8 Hits | 3 Runs | 1 ER | 4 BB | 2 K
AT THE PLATE
Albertus
Izzy Barreiro 3-for-6 | 1 2B | 3 RBI
Karla Carangelo 3-for-5 | 1 2B | 1 Run | 1 RBI
Amelia Boulli 2-for-4 | 1 2B | 2 BB | 2 Runs
Isabelle Smith 2-for-6 | 1 2B | 1 Run
Game 1 vs. Rivier
THE BASICS
FINAL: Rivier 3 | Albertus 2
RECORDS: Albertus (22-17) | Rivier (17-21)
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Rivier put two runs on the board in the top of the first as Liv Harnish hit a two-run single to score Avry Nelson and Kylee Caetano, who both singled earlier in the inning.
- Jabs retired the next seven batters she faced before the Raiders scored a run in the top of the fourth on a Sophia Quinlan double.
- The Falcons only had three hits over the first five innings before finally striking for two runs on three hits in the bottom of the sixth. Schwippert and Smith each singled to start the inning, and three batters later Carangelo walked to load the bases. After Rivier starting pitcher, Hailey Berube left the game, Ovalles jumped on the first pitche she saw and singled to right scoring two runs and cutting the Albertus deficit to 3-2.
- No runner reached base in either half of the seventh inning as the Raiders held on to the win.
IN THE CIRCLE
Albertus
Annabelle Jabs (L, 11-8) 7.0 IP | 8 Hits | 3 Runs | 3 ER | 2 BB | 10 K
Rivier
Hailey Berube (W, 12-12) 5.2 IP | 5 Hits | 2 Runs | 2 ER | 1 BB | 4 K
Hayleigh Silva (Save, 2) 1.1 IP | 1 Hit | 0 Runs | 0 ER | 1 BB | 0 K
AT THE PLATE
Albertus
Amelia Ovalles 2-for-3 | 1 2B | 2 RBI
Isabelle Smith 2-for-4 | 1 Run
Rivier
Liv Harnish 2-for-3 | 2 RBI
Emma Politz 2-for-4 | 1 2B
Sophia Quinlan 1-for-2 | 1 2B | 1 RBI
