GENESEO, NY – The RIT softball team (11-15) dropped both ends of a doubleheader at non-conference foe SUNY Geneseo (15-13) on Wednesday afternoon from Vic Raschi Field. The Knights won game one 4-1 and rallied from a 5-0 deficit to defeat RIT, 6-5 in game two.
In the opener, Geneseo hurler Alexis Kidder kept RIT off balance all game, scattering five hits, while allowing just one walk, and striking out three Tigers for her second win of the season.
Geneseo would take the lead with a run in the fourth inning, two in the fifth, and one in the sixth. Eight different Knights recorded at least one hit. Alyssa Persich, Taylor Fedor, and Danni Napoli were each 2-for-3.
The Tigers would get their only run in the top of the sixth inning, as
Tori Blaker (Corning, NY/Corning-Painted Post West) doubled and came around to score on a base hit by
Sam Killian (Webster, NY/Webster Schroeder).
Danielle Hotz (Drexel Hill, PA/Upper Darby),
Olivia Doret (Fairfax, VA/Chantilly), and
Sarah Thayer (Tully, NY/Fabius-Pompey) would also record a hit in the contest.
RIT pitcher
Lauren Mahar (Rotterdam, NY/Schalmont) took the loss, striking out six batters in the complete-game effort.
The Tigers offense came alive in game two, scoring three times in the first inning and two more times in the second inning to build a commanding 5-0 lead.
In the opening inning,
Alexandria Lunderman (Manlius, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius) came up with a clutch two-run double to left center, scoring Thayer and
Emily Shoemaker (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena). In the second inning, Hotz ripped a two-run triple to right field, scoring Thayer and
McKenzie Martin (Deposit, NY/Deposit) to give RIT a 5-0 lead.
RIT had a golden chance to add to the lead in the fourth inning, loading the bases with nobody out, but failed to score.
RIT pitcher
Sierra Valentine (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena) cruised along over the first five innings, allowing just two hits.
The Knights would stun Valentine and RIT with six runs on six hits in the bottom of the sixth inning to steal the win. After Geneseo scored to get on the board, Claire VanNewkirk hit a pinch-hit three-run home run to right center to cut the RIT lead to 5-4. With two outs, Marisa Motisi singled to center field, plating two more runs to give Geneseo the lead.
RIT would out-hit Geneseo, 10-8. Martin was 2-for-3 with two walks and two runs scored, while Hotz was 2-for-4 with three RBIs, and Shoemaker was 2-for-4.
Geneseo pitcher Taylor Moore earned the win in relief, firing four scoreless innings, allowing just three hits, while getting out of a bases-loaded, no outs jam in the fourth inning.
Geneseo leads the all-time series between the two schools, 36-24-1.
RIT is right back in action on Thursday with a non-conference doubleheader under the lights at Houghton College that gets underway at 5 p.m.
