Fisher, Ithaca, Nazareth, and Utica Win Twice; Elmira Comes up Short
NAZARETH v HOUGHTON
Nazareth swept a non-conference softball doubleheader from Houghton Sunday. The Golden Flyers scored eight runs in the fourth inning of game one to win 13-9, then Nazareth captured the second game 6-2.
Sarah Cipperly,
Sophia Rhoades and
Carly Pike each had three hits in the first game. Cipperly had a single and a triple in the fourth inning. She drove in five runs overall.
Maureen Rogers,
Kailey Ritch and
Meg DeMario added two hits each.
The game was tied at 5-5 when Nazareth used six hits and three Houghton errors to score eight runs in the fourth inning. Cipperly and DeMario each had two-run triples and Pike singled home another run.
Shauna Bardanis added a sacrifice fly and the other two runs came across on Houghton misplays.
In the second game, freshman
Danae Wetherbee tossed a five-hit complete game by going seven innings and striking out five. Ritch had a single and three runs score. Rogers had a two-run single in the seventh inning and Cipperly also drove home two runs.
ST. JOHN FISHER v ST. LAWRENCE
The St. John Fisher College softball team closed out the regular season with two wins at St. Lawrence University. Fisher beat the Saints 1-0 in game one, which took eight innings to complete. The Cardinals, who finish the regular season 29-11, then beat St. Lawrence (19-15) 7-3 in game two.
It took extra innings in order for a winner to score in the first game of the day, and
Meghan Burns' run in the top of the eighth inning was only run scored in the game. Burns led the eighth off with a single and, after being moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from
Jessie Smyrski, was brought home on a double from
Kayla Goodberlet.
The Cardinals opened the second game with two runs as Goodberlet, again, brought in Burns from second but this time on an RBI triple.
Leanne Merchant then stepped to the plate and brought Goodberlet across with a sacrifice fly. However, the Saints responded with two runs in the same inning.
But, the Cardinals broke away in the fifth and sixth innings.
Sarah Fordyce pushed the game-winning run across the plate when she singled to center field. Smyrski then came home from second base. Fordyce was able to move to second base on the throw, and Leone took advantage of the runner in scoring position, hitting an RBI single to left center.
Up 4-2, the Cardinals added three insurance runs in the sixth with another Goodberlet triple to score Burns making it 5-2. Merchant was then kept on base on a fielding error by the left fielder that allowed Goodberlet to score. Leone added the game's final RBI with another singled that crossed Merchant.
ITHACA v UNION/PLATTSBURGH
The Ithaca College softball team added two more wins to its total this season, with a 7-1 victory over Union and a dramatic 6-4 win over Plattsburgh as
Jennifer Biondi(Rockaway, N.J./Morris Knolls) hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh to lift the Bombers to the victory. Both games were played at Union's Alexander Field. With the wins, Ithaca improved to 23-13 on the season. The Bombers are ranked fourth in the Northeast Region in the latest NCAA Regional Rankings, which are determined using the same process used to select at-large teams for the NCAA Division III Softball Championships.
UTICA v OSWEGO
The Utica College softball team continued its dominance at home, this time sweeping Oswego State, 7-0 and 10-3, in non-conference action Sunday afternoon at Utica's Greenman Field.
The Pioneers jumped out to an early lead, 2-0 in the first and never looked back as they cruised to a 7-0 victory.
Bridgette Plummer (Saratoga Springs, NY/Schuylerville) had the only home run of the game, with a solo shot to right in the fourth inning. She was 2-for-4 in game one with two RBI.
Both teams came out strong in the second game, as it was scoreless until the bottom of the third inning, as
Bridgette Plummer (Saratoga Springs, NY/Schuylerville) hit a hard ball that gave the shortstop trouble, and
Christy Traglia (Mohawk, NY/Mohawk) was able to score.
The Lakers bounced back in the fourth as freshman Tori Tavato hit a two-run homer to left center. Then just two batters later, Oswego was able to add another run. However, with a runner on third and no outs, the Pioneer defense stepped up to get the stop.
Utica evened the score in the bottom of the inning as
Cassie Smith (Delmar, NY/Bethlehem Central) brought home
Mallory Ingalls (Oriskany, NY/Oriskany), and
Alysa Russell(Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) was able to make it home on a passed ball. Utica went to work in the fifth, scoring seven more runs to seal the victory.
ELMIRA v CORTLAND
The EC Softball struggled to find their bats in game one and just lost the edge in game two falling, 11-2 and 3-2, to Cortland State University on Sunday afternoon at Dragon Field in their final regular season contest. The Red Dragons improve to 22-14, while the Soaring Eagles fall to 23-11 on the season.
In the beginning it was tight game one with neither team getting many hits. However, in the bottom of third and fourth the Red Dragons broke open the game scoring 11 straight runs. EC was able to get on the board in the top of the fifth, but it would be stopped short by Cortland pitcher Amber Corrigan.
Alex Puglisi '14 suffered the loss in game one allowing seven hits and six earned runs in three innings.
Sarah Johnson '15 came in relief for one inning allowing one hit, one earned run and one walk.
Game two was much closer for the Soaring Eagles, but late in the game it came down to home field advantage. Cortland broke through in the bottom of the second to score its first run. However, the Soaring Eagles did not quit coming through for a run in the top of the fifth and sixth innings to take a 2-1 lead. In the bottom of the seventh Cortland was able to rally back getting the bases loaded. After Nicole Gallo earned a walk to score Lucia Meola, Courtney Kadish came through for a walk-off single to left center field earning the 3-2 victory.
Katie Hobson '13 started in game two going six innings allowing 10 hits, three earned runs and two walks.
Puglisi came in the final inning allowing one walk and one hit.
The EC Softball team will take a little break before returning to action Friday, May 3 for the Empire 8 Softball Championships hosted by Utica College. The Purple and Gold will face off with St. John Fisher College at 10:00 a.m. in Utica.