Softball | 4/24/2014 5:51:00 PM

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

ROCHESTER, NY - The RIT softball team (4-22) dropped both games of a doubleheader to non-league foe Buffalo State College (15-11) on a cool, sunny, Thursday afternoon at Tiger Stadium. In game one, Buffalo State rallied from a 4-1 deficit to defeat RIT 7-5. In game two, the Bengals never trailed, winning by a score of 7-2.

In game one, Buffalo State opened the scoring on a double by Sarah Gorski that plated Stephanie Novo in the top of the first inning. In the bottom half of the frame, RIT roared back with four runs. Chelsea Shoemaker (Rochester, NY/Aquinas) led off with an infield single and came around to score on a two-run home run by senior Brittany Griffin (Sterling, VA/Park View ), a line drive that cleared the left field fence. The homer was Griffin's second of the season and 12th of her Tiger career. After a Tori Nadow (Charlton, MA/Shepherd Hill) walk and Kelsey McManus (Pittsford, NY/Pittsford Mendon ) single, Sierra Valentine (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena) crushed a double to center field, scoring both runners to give RIT a 4-1 lead.

The Bengals would chip away at the RIT lead, getting a run in the third and fourth innings, and two in the fifth to take a 5-4 lead. McManus roped a double to right field, scoring Shoemaker with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning to tie the game at 5-5.

Buffalo State would take the lead back for good in the seventh, as with two outs, Gorski walked and moved to third on a single by Joanna Bardak. Taylor Swiatek would drive in both runners with a double to the gap in right center, making the score 7-5. RIT would get the leadoff runner on in the bottom half of the inning, but could not advance, as Buffalo State hung on.

Both teams had 11 hits in game one. RIT would leave 10 runners on base to just five for Buffalo State. McManus led the Tigers by going 3-for-3, while Shoemaker was 2-for-2 with a walk and two runs scored. Griffin recorded her third straight multiple-hit contest. Sierra Valentine (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena) took the loss on the mound, allowing five earned runs in the complete game, with two strikeouts.

Bardak was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a run batted in for the Bengals, while Gorski was 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored and RBI's. Jordan Dudish was 2-for-3 with a RBI, while Novo was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Sam Tilkins got the win on the mound in relief, pitching the final two innings. Jordan Sarat got the start, allowing nine hits and four runs in five innings.

In game two, it was all Buffalo State, as they scored once in the second, twice in the third, and four times in the fourth to jump out to a commanding 7-0 lead. The Tigers made a pair of errors that led to four unearned runs. Wolcott got the Tigers on the board with a two-out, two-run double in the bottom of the sixth inning for RIT's offense.

Novo was 2-for-3 with a run scored, double, RBI, and walk, while Swiatek was 2-for-4 with a double, run scored, and two RBI's. Kate Brownell doubled and scored two runs. On the mound, Maddie Coneys picked up her ninth win of the season, scattering two hits, while striking out five batters in four scoreless innings.

Wolcott led the Tigers charge by going 2-for-3 with two RBI's. Amber Libby (Waterboro, ME/Massabesic), Griffin, and Nadow added singles. Nadow has now hit safely her last three games since returning from injury. Griffin extended her hitting streak to 10 games and now has a team-best 35 hits this season. On the mound, Anna Valentine (Pittsford, NY/Pittsford Mendon) took the loss, allowing eight hits and three earned runs in the complete-game effort.

Buffalo State now leads the all-time series between the two schools, 40-15.

The Tigers are right back in action on Friday, with a home doubleheader against Liberty League foe St. Lawrence that gets underway at 3:30 p.m. RIT needs to win both games to stay in Liberty League playoff contention. The Tigers will look to "Strike Out Cancer", wear special pink warm up jerseys with the motto of "RIT Strong" and will accept flat rate donations, which will benefit the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester.