KEUKA PARK, NY - The RIT softball team (6-6) played its first two games of the 2016 season up north, splitting a road doubleheader at Keuka College (2-4) on a brilliantly sunny Wednesday afternoon. In a pair of pitchers duels, Keuka took game one, 2-1, while RIT used three eighth inning runs to snap a 1-1 tie and win game two, 4-1.
In game one, strong pitching limited the two teams to just seven total hits. Keuka would score a pair of unearned runs in the second inning for its offense. The Tigers would score its run, also unearned in the fourth inning, as
Danielle Hotz (Drexel Hill, PA/Upper Darby) reached on an error and came around to score on a double by
Tori Blaker (Corning, NY/Corning-Painted Post West). RIT had a great chance in the fifth, as
Laura Weintraub (Syosset, NY/Syosset) walked and
Katelyn Koester (Amherst, NY/St. Mary's School for the Deaf) singled to open the inning, but could not get the tying run across.
Liz Warren earned the win on the mound for the Wolfpack, allowing just four hits, while striking out 12 Tigers.
Lauren Mahar (Rotterdam, NY/Schalmont) pitched well for RIT in the complete-game loss, scattering three hits, while striking out six batters.
In game two, Keuka took the early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, as Samantha Blum single, stole second, advanced to third on a ground out and scored on a passed ball.
From there, RIT starting pitcher
Sierra Valentine (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena) was untouchable, allowing just one more hit the rest of the way, while striking out 11 batters to pick up her fourth victory of the season. She now has 51 strikeouts in 37 innings pitched this season.
RIT would tie the game in the fourth inning, as Blaker singled and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. She would then score on a single by
Olivia Doret (Fairfax, VA/Chantilly) to tie the game.
The game remained tied until the eighth inning, when RIT broke the game open with three runs. With
Sarah Thayer (Tully, NY/Fabius-Pompey) placed on second,
Amanda Cook (Royal Palm Beach, FL/Suncoast) doubled, giving RIT runners on second and third with nobody out. After Blaker was intentionally walked, Keuka would get the next two outs. Doret reached on a fielders choice, scoring Thayer to make it 2-1. Cook would score on a wild pitch moments later to give RIT a 3-1 lead, while Mackenzie Martin singled in Blaker to complete the scoring.
Martin went 4-for-5, raising her batting average to .512 on the season, while
Emily Shoemaker (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena) was 2-for-3.
RIT is back in action on Tuesday, April 5 with a road doubleheader at SUNYAC foe Fredonia State with game one getting underway at 3 p.m.
