Softball | 3/22/2014 2:41:00 PM

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

CLERMONT, FL – The RIT softball team (1-1) opened the season with a pair of wild, one-run contests against New York State foes at the Dot Richard Spring Games at the National Training Center on a hot and sunny Saturday. The Tigers began the season by falling to D'Youville College (2-3) by a score of 6-5, then rallied to defeat Plattsburgh State (2-10) 7-6. RIT ripped 21 hits in the two contests.

In the opener against D'Youville, the Tigers got off to a tremendous start, scoring three times in the top of the first inning. After freshman Tori Blaker (Corning, NY/Corning-Painted Post West) blooped her first collegiate hit to right field, sophomore Amanda Cook (Royal Palm Beach, FL/Suncoast), a 2013 All-Liberty League first team selection, crushed an 0-2 fastball over the left field fence for a two-run homer. RIT would load the bases later in the inning and make it 3-0 on Alexa Farner (Gowanda, NY/Gownanda)'s first collegiate hit, a single to left field.

D'Youville would come right back with four runs in the bottom of the first, highlighted by a three-run home run by Shannon Evans.

After D'Youville upped its lead to 5-3 in the second, RIT responded with a pair of runs in the top half of the third inning to tie the game. Kelly Meegan (Bristol, NH/Newfound Regional ) singled in Brittany Griffin (Sterling, VA/Park View ), who reached on a single down the left field line. Amber Libby (Waterboro, ME/Massabesic) then scored Farner on a run-scoring ground out to tie the game.

Both teams had chances over the final four innings, but D'Youville was the only team to capitalize, getting the game-winning run on a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning. Griffin hit a one-out double in the seventh, but was stranded, ending the game.

RIT pitcher Sierra Valentine (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena) made her collegiate debut, allowing five earned runs over six innings in defeat. She allowed six hits, walked seven batters, and struck out seven. Hannah Turek scattered 11 hits, but got the win for the Spartans.

Against Plattsburgh, RIT held a 4-1 lead going into the top of the seventh inning, before Plattsburgh erupted for five runs to grab a 6-4 lead. In the bottom half of the inning, Cook doubled with one out and came around to score on a single to left by Kelsey McManus (Pittsford, NY/Pittsford Mendon ), who also advanced to second on the throw home. Sarah Wolcott (Cohocton, NY/Wayland-Cohocton) singled in McManus to tie the game at 6-6. Two batters later, Blaker was hit by a pitch, sending up Kaylee Mathews (South Dayton, NY/Pine Valley). On an 0-1 pitch, Mathews popped one up in the infleld, but it was able to fall between the mound and shortstop, scoring Wolcott, who was hustling the whole way to win it for RIT.

The Tigers were able to wiggle out of several jams throughout the contest, as Plattsburgh left 13 runners on base. The Cardinals had already scored once in the opening inning and had bases loaded before a tremendous diving grab by Griffin ended the rally.

Wolcott went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, three runs batted in and two runs scored in the victory. McManus was 2-for-4 with a double, two runs scored, and run-batted in.

On the mound, Emma Sarlesmade her collegiate debut and battled all afternoon, working out of several jams. She allowed three earned runs over 6 1/3 innings. Valentine would pick up the win in relief, pitching the final 2/3 of an inning.

Samantha Capobianco went 3-for-3 with a run batted in for the Cardinals. Sam Moss took the loss on the mound, allowing 10 hits, while striking out six batters.

RIT is right back in action on Sunday with games against Wellesley College at 9 a.m. and nationally-ranked University of St. Thomas at 1 p.m.