CLERMONT, FL – Offense powered the RIT softball team (1-1) as it earned a split to open the 2016 season on Saturday evening. The Tigers fell to Plattsburgh (8-6) 10-8 in game one, before rallying back in an 8-3 victory against Scranton (0-2) in the nightcap at Hancock Park Field.
RIT jumped out to a hot start against Plattsburgh in what was a high-scoring game one, which started an hour later due to the rainy conditions. With runners on second and third,
Amanda Cook (Royal Palm Beach, FL/Suncoast) laced a 1-out double, scoring
Emily Shoemaker (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena) and
McKenzie Martin (Deposit, NY/Deposit). Two batters later,
Alexandria Lunderman (Manlius, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius) drove Cook home, as the Tigers staked a 3-0 lead.
The Plattsburgh offense also came to play, as the Cardinals tallied four runs in the bottom of the frame, including an RBI triple by K. Gage as well as a five-run second inning, all coming after an error with two outs. In the top of the third, RIT struck again, with four runs in the inning. A throwing error by the Plattsburgh third baseman scored
Tori Blaker (Corning, NY/Corning-Painted Post West) and Cook. The next batter,
Danielle Hotz (Drexel Hill, PA/Upper Darby), singled in a run, and
Sarah Thayer (Tully, NY/Fabius-Pompey) scored from third on a wild pitch, as the Tigers reduced the deficit to 9-7.
Plattsburgh scored another run in the bottom of the third, then went to the bullpen with great success. Taylor Smith, picking up the victory, pitched 4.2 innings of near-shutout ball, only allowing a run in the sixth off a
Tori Blaker (Corning, NY/Corning-Painted Post West) single, striking out five batters. In the top of the seventh, Smith let the defense do the work, forcing three ground balls to gather the victory.
Martin went 3-for-4, scoring a run. Cook, Shoemaker, and Blaker each racked two hits, while Cook and Thayer each drove in two runs to lead the Tigers.
Lauren Mahar (Rotterdam, NY/Schalmont) pitched all six innings, striking out five batters while allowing nine runs.
In the second game, pitching forced the issue early on.
Sierra Valentine (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena) no-hit Scranton through the first three innings of play, striking out three batters. RIT gave Valentine all the offense she needed in the bottom of the third inning. After
Alexa Farner (Gowanda, NY/Gownanda) singled to load the bases,
Emily Lazarus (Whitehall, PA/Allentown Catholic) hit a single into shallow center field, scoring
Emma Sarles (Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park). Cook came up to the plate next, and uncorked a bomb to dead center field, clearing the wall for a grand slam, and giving RIT the 5-0 lead.
After Scranton scored three runs to reduce the deficit to two, RIT used its savvy on the basepaths to extend the lead. Lazarus began the bottom of the fifth inning powering out a triple to left field, then scoring on a wild pitch with Cook at the plate, to give RIT a 6-3 lead. After Hotz got on base on an infield single, she stole second, and Blaker scored Cook with an RBI single. Hotz later scored on a sacrifice fly by Thayer, extending the lead to five. Valentine then retired the final six batters for the victory. She allowed three runs on six hits in seven innings of play, striking out five.
Blaker went a perfect 3-for-3 in the evening game, knocking in an RBI. Cook tallied two hits, including the grand slam in the third inning. Seven Tigers recorded at least a hit, with the Tigers totaling 10 as a team.
The Tigers will continue play in Florida with a morning doubleheader. The Tigers will take on Stevens at 9 a.m., and Fredonia at approximately 11 a.m.
