Stevens Sweeps; Fisher & Utica Split
STEVENS v NAZARETH
Senior pitcher
Kayla Berardi struck-out 15 in back-to-back complete games to the lead the Stevens Institute of Technology softball team to a Sunday sweep over Nazareth College (8-20), 2-1 and 4-0.
With the wins, Stevens moved their overall record to 27-9 as they wrapped-up their Empire 8 schedule at 8-4. The eight conference wins are the most ever in program history.
Stevens 2, Nazareth 1
Kayla Berardi started the Ducks on the right foot by striking-out five of the first six batters before retiring the side in order in the third, allowing Stevens to take a lead in the bottom of the third.
With senior
Danielle DeFeo on first after a two-out single, sophomore
Gavriella Risman-Jones ripped an RBI triple to right-center to give Stevens a 1-0 lead. Nazareth tried to answer in the fourth with a runner at second and one out, but Berardi struck-out sophomore Maureen Rorgers for the second out before Stevens threw out the stealing runner at third to end the threat.
The Ducks added to their lead with a two-out RBI single from senior
Stephanie Senkevich to score freshman
Emily Sellitti in the fourth, but Nazareth came back with one in the fifth off a home run from junior Sophia Rhoades.
Nazareth threatened again in the sixth with runners at second and third and one out, but Berardi struck-out senior Kailey Ritch before getting sophomore Marueen Rogers to pop-up to short. Berardi went-on to retire the side in order in the seventh to seal the 2-1 win.
Berardi struck-out eight to earn her team-leading fifteenth win of the year, while Risman-Jones and Senkevich drove in the two Stevens runs.
Stevens 4, Nazareth 0
Berardi struck-out the side in the first, allowing Stevens to take the lead in the bottom of the inning. With Sellitti on third after a double and a wild-pitch, freshman
Kelly Klewicki lined an RBI single up the middle to give the Ducks a 1-0 lead.
After Berardi retired the side in order in the second, Stevens added to its lead when DeFeo hit a sacrifice fly to left to score junior
Noelle Mulligan who had doubled to lead-off. Berardi held the lead with a scoreless third and fourth before Nazareth threatened in the fifth.
Walks put runners at first and second with one out, but Berardi worked out of trouble with back-to-back fly-outs to right. Sellitti extended the Stevens lead to 3-0 with a one-out home run to left center in the bottom of the inning before sophomore
Sydney Spitz's RBI single made it 4-0.
The runs were plenty for Berardi for worked around a two-out single in the sixth before retiring the side in order in the seventh to end the game.
Berardi struck-out seven to move her record to 16-6, while DeFeo, Sellitti, Klewicki, and Spitz each added an RBI. Sellitti led all batters with two hits.
ST. JOHN FISHER v UTICA
St. John Fisher spilt its final doubleheader of the season Saturday, as the Cardinals took game one 3-2 before falling to Utica 5-1 in the nightcap.
The Cardinals finish the season 20-12 and 5-7 in conference while Utica sits at 20-9, 5-5.
Game 1
Tied 2-2 in the bottom of the seventh Fisher pulled off a dramatic 3-2 victory after
Genevieve Paeglow scored from third on a passed ball.
Christina Sakran started off the inning with a single and two batters later
Kate Disbrow picked up a one-bagger of her own. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch to set up the stage for the winning run.
Utica had an excellent opportunity slip away in the seventh as the first two batters singled, however
Halie Schoff and the Fisher defense were able to get out of the inning without surrendering a run.
Fisher struck first in the contest on a 2 RBI single in the third inning from
Lauren Owens. After consecutive singles from Disbrow and
Meghan Burns, Jennifer Knack moved the runners into scoring position for Owens to bring the runners home.
Utica however came right back in the next inning to tie the game at two.
Fisher threatened in the fifth inning as Knaak tripled down the right field line with two outs. Owens nearly brought her around the next batter but a diving play by the second baseman was made to end the inning.
Owens led Fisher with 2 RBI while Disbrow went 2-for-3 at the plate.
Schoff improved to 11-4 on the year with the win.
Game 2
In the nightcap Fisher struggled to get its bats going managing just three hits in the contest which would prove to be costly.
The visiting squad grabbed the early lead after scoring one in the first inning.
Fisher had a good opportunity to tie the game at one in the second inning as
Jessie Smyrski led off with a double.
Olivia Fusilli bunted Smyrski around to third and put her in scoring position. However Utica turned a double play the next batter with Paeglow lining out to left field and Smyrski being thrown out at third to end the inning.
The score would remain 1-0 in favor of Utica until the final inning. The Pioneers started off the inning with back-to-back hits before Kassidy Ogren hit a round tripper to clear the bases and give the visitors a 4-0 lead. Utica would add one more in the inning to take a 5-0 advantage.
Jessica D'Angelo closed out her career in style on senior day blasting a home run in the bottom half of the inning for Fisher's lone run of the game.
Schoff pitched 6 and 1/3 innings giving up five runs on eight hits to finish the season with a 11-5 record.
Megan Keib pitched the final two outs of the game.
U of R v ITHACA
The Ithaca College softball team lost a pair of games to Rochester Sunday afternoon, falling to the Yellowjackets by scores of 3-0 and 7-0. The losses put the Bombers' overall record at 19-11 on the season. Rochester improved to 22-10.
Game 1: Ithaca 0, Rochester 3
Senior
Sam Bender was credited with the loss in the first game. She allowed just two earned runs and picked up three strikeouts in the complete-game effort. Sophomores
Kelly Robichaud,
Erin McQuillan and senior
Sydney Folk all recorded singles in the loss.
A pitchers' duel carried a scoreless game into the top of the fifth inning. The Yellowjackets earned the first runs of the game in the frame, crossing home plate twice on two hits to go up 2-0. Rochester added an insurance run in the top of the seventh to take a 3-0 lead.
The Bombers were unable to counter in the bottom of the inning, dropping the first contest by a score of 3-0.
Game 2: Ithaca 0, Rochester 7
Sophomore
Laura Quicker took the loss in game two after giving up three earned runs and striking out two in 5.0 innings of work. Classmate
Allison Macari also saw action, as she allowed two earned runs in the final 2.0 innings of play. Junior
Francesca Busa paced the Bombers with two hits in three at bats. She also picked up two steals. Freshman
Kate Brainard also recorded a single, marking her first collegiate hit.
The Yellowjackets once again struck first in game two, taking the 1-0 lead on two hits in the top of the second. After adding another run in the third, Rochester took a commanding lead with a three-run home run in the fifth to go up 5-0.
Two more insurance runs in the remaining frames made the score 7-0 in favor of the Yellowjackets. The Bombers were unable to respond, falling to Rochester in the second game of the doubleheader.