POTSDAM, NY – For the fourth time this week, the RIT softball team (7-17, 3-7 Liberty League) recorded a doubleheader split on Sunday. RIT fell in game one by a score of 7-1 to Liberty League foe Clarkson (17-8, 3-5 Liberty League), but rebounded to win game two, 5-4.
The Tigers won a back-and-forth affair in game two, rallying from 2-0 down to take a 3-2 lead before Clarkson would tie the game in the fourth inning. The Tigers would regain the lead in the sixth inning. Clarkson would rally, but come up short.
Down 2-0 in the top of the fourth, RIT would score three times to take a 3-2 lead.
Emma Sarles (Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park) led off with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from
Sarah Wolcott (Cohocton, NY/Wayland-Cohocton).
Amanda Cook (Royal Palm Beach, FL/Suncoast) hit an infield single to third, followed by a double steal from both Sarles and Cook. Sarles would then score on a wild pitch to make it a 2-1 game.
Tori Blaker (Corning, NY/Corning-Painted Post West) would drive in Cook with a ground out to tie the game at 2-2. Later in the inning,
Alexa Farner (Gowanda, NY/Gownanda) singled to center, driving in
Kelly Meegan (Bristol, NH/Newfound Regional ) to give RIT a 3-2 lead.
Clarkson would come right back in the bottom of the fourth inning, as Summer Lancette would drive a triple to the gap in right center field, scoring Raeanna Dunn to tie the game at 3-3.
In the sixth,
McKenzie Martin (Deposit, NY/Deposit) would give RIT the lead for good, slamming a two-run home run to center field, also driving in
Amber Libby (Waterboro, ME/Massabesic) to give RIT a 5-3 lead. It was her first home run as a member of the Tigers.
Clarkson would get one back in the bottom of the sixth inning on a run-scoring single by Dunn, but the Tigers would hang on for the big conference win.
Cook, Farner, and
Emily Shoemaker (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena) had two hits apiece, while Wolcott walked twice. On the mound,
Lauren Mahar (Rotterdam, NY/Schalmont) picked up her fourth straight win, improving to 6-6 on the season. She scattered 10 hits and gave up three earned runs, while striking out seven batters.
Four different Golden Knights had a pair of hits each in game two. Jamie Bridge took the loss, allowing nine hits and five runs in seven innings.
In game one, Bridge kept the Tigers off balance all game, allowing just six hits, while striking out 13 batters in the complete game win. She was also 3-for-3 at the plate with two doubles, two stolen bases, and a pair of runs batted in.
Clarkson broke open a close game with four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Dunn would go 3-for-4 with three runs scored and a stolen base. Katelin Ferguson was 2-for-3 with a run batted in.
Blaker would drive in RIT's lone run with a single in the sixth inning, plating Sarles, who had doubled. Shoemaker was 2-for-4 with a pair of stolen bases, while Martin, and Wolcott also had hits. On the mound,
Sierra Valentine (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena) took the loss, pitching the complete-game with five strikeouts.
The Tigers are 3-1 all-time against the Golden Knights, as they began their program last season.
RIT is right back in action on Monday, with a pair of games at non-conference foe St. John Fisher, starting at 3 p.m.
