Softball | 5/1/2014 8:07:00 PM

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

ROCHESTER, NY - The RIT softball team (6-26) closed out the home portion of its 2014 schedule by sweeping a doubleheader from Alfred State College (11-17) on a brisk, cool, Thursday afternoon from Tiger Stadium. RIT used some walk-off magic to win game one, 7-6, then cruised to an 11-1 win in five innings in game two.

The Tigers slammed 23 hits in the doubleheader sweep, while freshman hurler Sierra Valentine (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena) was the winning pitcher in both contests. Senior catcher Kelsey McManus (Pittsford, NY/Pittsford Mendon ) was 5-for-7 with five runs scored, and four RBI's, to go along with a pair of doubles.

In game one, Alfred scored twice in the top of the first inning before RIT roared back with a run in the second on consecutive doubles by Tori Nadow (Charlton, MA/Shepherd Hill) and McManus. In the third, RIT scored four times on three hits, taking advantage of a pair of Alfred State errors.

RIT starting pitcher Ashlynn Palmitesso (Fulton, NY/G. Ray Bodley), making her first collegiate start, battled through a tough first inning, before settling down nicely over the next three frames. Staked to a 5-2 lead, Alfred would come back in the fifth, scoring four times on four hits, as the first five batters reached base to take a 6-5 lead. Sierra Valentine (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena) would enter in relief to finish the inning.

In the bottom of the seventh, McManus led off with a single, her third hit of the game. Brittani Scharlau (Alexander, NY/Alexander) would reach on a throwing error that scored McManus all the way from first, tying the game at 6-6. After a ground out, freshman Amber Libby (Waterboro, ME/Massabesic) would deliver the walk-off dramatics, lacing a single to center that scored Scharlau, giving RIT the win.

Sierra Valentine (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena) earned the win, striking out five batters in three hitless innings of relief. McManus was 3-for-4 with three runs scored, two doules, and a run batted in, while Libby was 2-for-4, and Alexa Farner (Gowanda, NY/Gownanda) was 2-for-4 with a run scored and run batted in.

Kristen Jackson was 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI's, while Aubri Mosier drove in a pair of runs. Stormi Kruger was 2-for-4 with a double, two runs scored, and RBI, while Lynn Wood scored a pair of runs.

In game two, Valentine struck out a season-high eight batters, while allowing just a pair of hits and first inning run.

After Alfred State opened the scoring in the top of the first, RIT would respond with four runs in the bottom half of the inning, a towering Brittany Griffin (Sterling, VA/Park View ) two-run homer in the second, and five more runs in the third inning.

Griffin led the way offensively with her 13th career home run, tying her for second all-time at RIT with Carlissa Cole. Griffin scored three runs in the win, while Chelsea Shoemaker (Rochester, NY/Aquinas), McManus, and Farner all scored twice. McManus drove in three runs, while Sarah Wolcott (Cohocton, NY/Wayland-Cohocton) was 2-for-2 with two RBI's.

Today was the final home contests for Nadow, McManus, Griffin, Shoemaker, and Scharlau.

RIT wraps up its 2014 season on Saturday with a doubleheader at crosstown rival Nazareth that gets underway at 12 p.m.