Softball | 4/24/2010 6:07:42 PM

Click here for game one stats

Click here for game two stats

ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT softball team (15-15, 4-6 Empire 8) dropped a pair of cne-run games to Alfred (24-4, 7-1 Empire 8), 2-1 and 3-2 in eight innings on a sunny, Saturday afternoon at RIT Field. Alfred has now 11 straight games. Alfred, the top-ranked team in the region, won both games in its final at-bat.

In game one, Alfred broke a 1-1 tie in the top of the seventh inning, as Emily Fenton blooped a single to right field that scored Chelsey Cary from second base. Ashley Passaro singled to lead off the inning, and Cary entered as a pinch runner.

RIT tied the game in the bottom of the sixth inning, as Shannon McCormick (Auburn, NY/Auburn) scored from second base after Michelle Tabisz (Silver Spring, MD/Paint Branch) hit into a double play with the bases loaded. Tabisz hit a one-hopper right to Alfred pitcher Nicole Hedrick, who fired home to get the first out. Fenton fired to first to get the second out, but McCormick never stopped running and beat the throw home from first base.

Fenton was 2-for-3 and drove in both Alfred runs. Hedrick picked up the win on the mound, allowing just three hits and the lone run. She struck out four batters.

RIT hurler Carlissa Cole (Alden, NY/Alden) took the loss, despite pitching very well. She allowed five hits and struck out four in seven innings. Cole was also 1-for-3. Emily McPherson (Pompey, NY/Pompey) and Tori Nadow (Charlton, MA/Shepherd Hill) also recorded hits for the Tigers.

In game two, RIT scored all three runs in the top of the third inning. With runners on first and second, Tabisz hit a single that scored Jen Hayden (Syracuse, NY/West Genesee). The throw from right field sailed over the catcher's head, allowing McPherson to score. Nadow then singled in Tabisz to give RIT a 3-0 lead.

Freshman hurler Brittany Kemp (Dansville, NY/Wayland-Cohocton) rolled through the first five innings, allowing just one run on two hits. Alfred loaded the bases in the top of the sixth inning and scored a run before Cole appeared in relief and allowed a hit to Fenton, which tied the game at 3-3.

RIT had a golden chance to win the game in the top of the seventh inning, as Tabisz looked to single in the winning run. Unfortunately, the ball, which was headed into left field, caromed off the field umpire and right to the Alfred fielder, who threw out the Tiger runner attempting to score.

Alfred won the game in the bottom of the eighth inning on a base hit, sacrifice bunt and an error.

Hedrick won her second game of the day, coming on in relief.

The Tigers will attempt to move closer to clinching an Empire 8 playoff berth on Sunday, as they make the short trip to play Empire 8 foe Nazareth. That doubleheader gets underway at 1 p.m.