Softball | 4/17/2014 7:57:00 AM

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

HOUGHTON, NY - The RIT softball team (4-14) split a doubleheader on Wednesday evening under the lights at Houghton College (1-25), winning game one 5-1, while falling in game two, 7-5 at Kerr-Pegula Stadium. RIT has now won three of its last four games.

In game one, RIT freshman pitcher Sierra Valentine (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena) was dominant, allowing just one hit and an unearned run, while striking out six batters in the complete-game victory, her third of the season. Houghton scored a run on a pair of first inning errors. She took her no-hitter into the seventh inning, allowing just a leadoff single by Morgan York, who was erased by a double play immediately after.

RIT broke a 1-1 tie with four runs in the top of the seventh inning to earn the win. Kaylee Mathews (South Dayton, NY/Pine Valley), Sierra Valentine (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena), and Chelse Shoemaker opened the inning with singles, loading the bases with nobody out. Alexa Farner (Gowanda, NY/Gownanda) hit a sacrifice fly to deep right field, scoring Mathews, and advancing Sierra Valentine (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena) and Shoemaker up a base to give RIT a 2-1 lead. Brittany Griffin (Sterling, VA/Park View ) would hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Sierra Valentine (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena) to make it 3-1. After a walk by Sarah Wolcott (Cohocton, NY/Wayland-Cohocton), Amanda Cook (Royal Palm Beach, FL/Suncoast) slammed a double to right field, scoring a pair of runs for the 5-1 lead.

RIT had eight hits in the win. Shoemaker led the way with a pair of singles, as seven of RIT's nine hitters in the lineup had a hit.

In game two, RIT scored four runs in the seventh inning once again, but it was not enough to erase a 7-1 deficit, as Houghton would get its first win of the season.

Amber Libby (Waterboro, ME/Massabesic) led RIT with a season-high four hits. She went 4-for-4 with a run scored and run batted in. Griffin was 2-for-4 with a run scored, stolen base, and RBI. Sam Killian (Webster, NY/Webster Schroeder) scored and drove in a run, while Cook walked twice.

RIT had eight hits and walked eight times, but left 12 runners on base, including the bases loaded in both the sixth and seventh innings. Down 7-1 in the seventh, RIT roared back with four runs, all with two outs. Libby, Killian, and Mathews would smack consecutive RBI singles to make it 7-4 Houghton. With the bases loaded, Bethany Davis (Rochester, NY/Aquinas) walked to drive in a run and make it 7-5. Unfortunately, that was all RIT would get, as a strikeout would end the game.

York was 3-for-4 for Houghton and picked up the win on the mound, while Samantha Patoff and Sarah Beirne had a pair of hits apiece.

Today's games were the first-ever meetings between the two schools.

The Tigers are back on the road this weekend with doubleheaders at Liberty League foes Union on Friday at 3:30 p.m. and Rensselaer at 1 p.m. on Saturday.