Softball | 4/13/2014 5:28:00 PM

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT softball team (3-13, 2-2 Liberty League) grabbed its first doubleheader sweep of the season with scores of 13-1 and 2-1 wins over first-year program Clarkson (0-18, 0-6 Liberty League) on a beautiful Sunday afternoon at Tiger Stadium. The Tigers launched two home runs on the day off the bats of Brittany Griffin (Sterling, VA/Park View ) and Sarah Wolcott (Cohocton, NY/Wayland-Cohocton).
 
A number of Tigers had a hand in Sunday's sweep, starting with Alexa Farner (Gowanda, NY/Gownanda) who went 2-for-6 on the day and led the team with four RBIs, all of which came in game one. Griffin got the offense going with her two run shot in the first inning of game one while Wolcott's solo homer was a spark for RIT in game two. Tori Blaker (Corning, NY/Corning-Painted Post West) also had a solid day with three RBI's herself.
 
Game one went to Sierra Valentine (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena) who notched her second win of the season by allowing just three hits and no earned runs, while striking out four over five innings. Anna Valentine (Pittsford, NY/Pittsford Mendon) won a pitchers duel in game two for the Tigers to earn the first win of her collegiate career. Anna Valentine (Pittsford, NY/Pittsford Mendon) went all seven innings and allowed seven hits, one earned run and struck out five.
 
Despite taking the loss for Clarkson in game two, pitcher Jamie Bridge pitched a gem for the Golden Knights, striking out 13 batters over the seven innings, while allowing just three hits and one earned run.
 
Game one got off to a terrific start for RIT as Sierra Valentine (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena) breezed through the top of the first retiring the side. Her offense would reward her immediately as Griffin blasted a home run well over the fence in left field with Farner on second to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead early.  
 
A few batters later, Kaylee Mathews (South Dayton, NY/Pine Valley) would drive in a pair of runs with her single to left field and just like that it was 4-0 RIT. Blaker then doubled to center field to grab three RBI's herself, clearing the bases only to score later that inning off a single from Farner. Eventually the Golden Knights stopped the bleeding and got out of the inning but the damage was done as RIT led 8-0.
 
In the second inning Farner would come up big again for RIT, tripling to clear the bases and balloon the Tigers lead to 13-0.
 
From there the defense and great pitching did the rest as just one run would cross the plate for Clarkson over the remaining three innings.
 
In game two the Tigers bats were held in check by a solid pitching performance from Bridge, but RIT proved it could grind their way to a win.
 
The game was scoreless heading into the fourth where the Golden Knights put runners on second and third with two outs and were looking to score. Amber Libby (Waterboro, ME/Massabesic) fired the ball down to third with Katie Pelton too far off the bag and picked her off to get out of the jam. Wolcott then homered in the bottom of the inning, and then a costly passed ball on a strikeout brought Anna Valentine (Pittsford, NY/Pittsford Mendon) home from third in the fifth to sink Clarkson.
 
After playing three doubleheaders over the last four days, RIT will have a few days off to prepare for its next doubleheader at Houghton on Wednesday, April 16. Game one is set to begin at 3:30 p.m. with game two following immediately after.