SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – For the third straight time, the RIT softball team (6-16, 2-6 Liberty League) earned a doubleheader split. On Saturday, the Tigers dropped game one to Liberty League foe Skidmore (11-15, 2-4 Liberty League), 7-0, but once again came back to emerge victorious in game two, 4-2.
In game two,
Lauren Mahar (Rotterdam, NY/Schalmont) picked up her third straight win, while hurling her fourth consecutive complete game. Mahar went the distance, scattering eight hits while allowing one earned run with a pair of strikeouts. She also fired two innings of scoreless relief in game one. Mahar has allowed just 22 hits and four earned runs over her last 31 innings, spanning the last six days. She has lowered her earned run average nearly three entire runs over that stretch.
Sophomore
Tori Blaker (Corning, NY/Corning-Painted Post West) hit her first collegiate home run, a two-run shot to center field in the top of the fifth inning, giving RIT a 4-1 lead. Blaker also drive in a run in the first inning.
Emma Sarles (Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park) was 3-for-4 with a run scored, while
McKenzie Martin (Deposit, NY/Deposit) was 2-for-4.
Dani DeGregory was 4-for-4 with a pair of doubles, triple, and stolen base for Skidmore. On the mound, Amanda Carilli took the loss, allowing eight hits and a pair of earned runs, needing just 77 pitches over seven innings.
In game one, Skidmore scored twice in the second and five times in the fourth inning to break the game open. Lauren Fortunato had the big blow for the Thoroughbreds, a grand slam home run to center field in the fourth inning. Fortunato, Lauren Gorstein, Abby Shea, and Lizette Roman-Johnston had two hits apiece.
Carilli was dominant for the Thoroughbreds, allowing just five hits, while striking out five batters and walking none in the shutout.
Sierra Valentine (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena) took the loss on the mound for the Tigers, allowing 11 hits and seven runs in four innings.
Sarah Wolcott (Cohocton, NY/Wayland-Cohocton) had RIT's lone extra-base hit, a double, while, Sarles,
Amanda Cook (Royal Palm Beach, FL/Suncoast),
Amber Libby (Waterboro, ME/Massabesic), and
Destiny Pacheco (Rochester, NY/Wilson Magnet) had singles.
The Tigers lead the all-time series between the two schools, 16-10.
RIT is right back in action on Sunday with a road doubleheader at Clarkson that gets underway at 1 p.m.