PITTSFORD, NY - The RIT softball team (13-19) dropped both ends of a doubleheader at Nazareth College (17-17) on Sunday afternoon from Flyer Stadium. Nazareth one game one in walk-off fashion, 4-3 and took game two, 8-0 in five innings.
In game one, RIT jumped right out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, as
McKenzie Martin (Deposit, NY/Deposit) led off with a double and advanced to third on a single by
Danielle Hotz (Drexel Hill, PA/Upper Darby).
Amanda Cook (Royal Palm Beach, FL/Suncoast) singled home Martin to open the scoring.
Sam Killian (Webster, NY/Webster Schroeder) laid down a perfect bunt to score Hotz to make it 2-0. RIT would load the bases later in the inning but fail to add to the lead.
Nazareth would answer back with two unearned runs in the bottom half of the inning as Stephanie Mongelli laced a two-run double to right field. Nazareth would take the lead in the third inning, scoring a third unearned run on an throwing error. In the fourth inning,
Emma Sarles (Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park) would line a double to center field, scoring
Tori Blaker (Corning, NY/Corning-Painted Post West), who singled to lead off the frame, tying the game at 3-3.
The score would remain the same until Sarah Popponettil led off the seventh inning with a walk off home run to win the game for Nazareth.
Sarles went 2-for-3 with a run batted in for the Tigers.
Sierra Valentine (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena) took the loss on the mound, scattering nine hits, while allowing one earned run, while striking out eight batters in the complete game effort.
Maureen Rogers was 3-for-3 with two runs scored for the Golden Flyers, while Mongelli drove in three runs. Nicole White picked up her seventh win of the season, allowing seven hits and three runs with six strikeouts in seven innings of work.
In game two, Nazareth scored six runs in the first inning and added runs in the third and fourth inning. Laura Mertens and Morgan Ross drove in two runs apiece for the Golden Flyers, as they out-hit RIT, 11-9.
Emily Shoemaker (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena) and
Katelyn Koester (Amherst, NY/St. Mary's School for the Deaf) had two hits apiece for the Tigers in game two. RIT would leave eight runners on base.
Mertens earned the shutout for Nazareth, striking out three batters.
Lauren Mahar (Rotterdam, NY/Schalmont) took the loss for RIT.
RIT leads the all-time series between the two schools, 14-13-1.
RIT is back in action on Wednesday with a doubleheader at SUNY Fredonia that gets underway at 3 p.m.
