MELBOURNE, Fla. – The Hamilton College Continentals extended their season-opening win streak to eight games with an impressive non-conference sweep at the USSSA Space Coast Complex on Thursday, March 20. The Continentals cruised to a 13-2 victory over Rutgers-Newark in five innings in the first game and followed that up with a 6-0 shutout against the St. Norbert College Green Knights in the second.
 

Season Update

• Hamilton (8-0 overall) concludes its Florida trip with two non-conference games on Friday, March 21 at the USSSA Space Coast Complex. The Continentals are set to face University of Wisconsin Eau-Claire at 12:15 p.m. and Millikin University at 2:30 p.m.

Rutgers-Newark

 

How It Happened

• After retiring the side in order in the top of the first, the Continentals took a two-run lead in the bottom half. Gabby Garrison '27 hit a sharp, one-out double to left field and scored on an overthrow during a routine groundout. Charlie Quinn '25 drove in Alexis Mayer '26 with a hard-hit ball to third base.
• Hamilton exploded for 10 runs in the second inning. Gaby Guerra '27, Lydia Mirabito '26, Taylor Santulli '25 and Nikki Dyche '28 opened the inning with four straight singles. Yael Everett '28 reached on a fielder's choice and Julia Hacker '27 followed with an RBI single to right field. Mayer was walked by a new pitcher and Quinn delivered a two-run double. Alison Zorn '26 forced another walk, Guerra singled, and Mirabito added a run-scoring double to left center for her second hit of the inning. A throwing error allowed two more runs to score for a 12-0 advantage.
• Rutgers-Newark scored a run in the third, but the Continentals answered in the bottom half when Guerra singled in a run.
• The Scarlet Raiders plated their final run in the top of the fifth before the eight-run rule went into effect and ended the game. 

Notes

 

• Guerra paced the Continentals with a career-high three hits, drove in two runs and scored twice.

• Mirabito, who was sidelined last season due to injury, recorded the first multi-hit game of her career. She finished 2-for-2, including her first career double, and drew a walk.
• Quinn drove in a team-high three runs and smacked her 18th career double.
• Santulli drove in a run with her first hit of the season.
• Hacker and Dyche recorded a hit and plated one run apiece.
• Garrison smacked her second double of the season.
• Everett singled and stole her seventh base of the season.
• Mayer led the team with three runs scored and stole two bases.
• Aubrey Purvis '27 pitched a complete game and secured her first win of the season. Purvis allowed two runs and two walks, and struck out two batters.
• Hamilton defeated Rutgers-Newark 9-0 on March 16.
• Rutgers-Newark (2-6) is a member of the New Jersey Athletic Conference. 
• Keelin O'Brien led the Scarlet Raiders with two hits.  

St. Norbert

 

How It Happened

• Hamilton jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the opening inning. Emma Tanksy '25 led off with a single to shallow left center, stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch, and crossed the plate when Lucy Ballard '27 singled through the right side.
• After both teams were held scoreless in the second and third innings, the Green Knights opened the fourth with two hits and had two runners in scoring position with one out. Tansky silenced St. Norbert's bats and ended the threat with two strikeouts.
• The Continentals doubled their lead with a run in the fifth, sparked by a leadoff walk by Miranda Mosqueda '28. After a sacrifice bunt by Dyche, Garrison singled up the middle and plated Mosqueda.
• St. Norbert put runners on the corners with no outs in the bottom of the inning, but Tansky came through once again as she struck out the side. 
• Hamilton extended its lead to 6-0 with four runs in the top of the sixth. Ballard led off with a double to right center and Mayer drove her in on a single to the same gap. Kelsey Vadnais '28 hit a sharp grounder between third and short for an infield single, and Sofia Santana '26 singled up the middle and brought in Mayer. Mosqueda followed with a single to right that loaded the bases. Dyche drove in Vadnais with a sacrifice fly to right and Santana scored on a passed ball.

Notes

• Ballard recorded her first career multi-hit game with two hits, including her first career double.
• Santana went 2-for-3. 
• Vadnais registered her third hit of the season. 
• Tansky (3-0) pitched all seven innings, recorded a season-high 10 strikeouts and secured her first career shutout. She added two singles and stole a base.
• The Continentals claimed a 6-1 victory over St. Norbert on March 18.
• St. Norbert (1-9), which is a member of the Midwest Athletic Conference, dropped its seventh in a row. 
• Zoe Zasada and Morgan Jarvi paced St. Norbert with two hits apiece.