CLERMONT, FL — The RIT softball team (6-2) split its games on day two of its National Training Center Spring Games at Hancock Field on Sunday, March 12. In game one, the Tigers were blanked, 3-0, by Western New England College (1-1). RIT's bats warmed up and its pitching continued to perform in game two, a 7-0 win over Gordon College (1-1).
"The first game was good, but we just weren't able to adjust to hit off their pitcher," said RIT head coach
Rebecca Stryker. "The second game we came out hitting and hit for multiple innings, to continue and score."
In game one,
Torie Adler (West Chester, PA/B. Reed Henderson) made the start for RIT, pitching 3 1/3 innings, allowing two earned runs on four hits, while striking out four, in her first loss of the season.
Sierra Valentine (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena) came in during the fourth inning for the Tigers in relief, throwing 3 2/3 innings of scoreless ball, with six strikeouts.
Alexandria Lunderman (Manlius, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius) had two hits, while
Erin Guinan (Geneva, NY/Geneva),
Danielle Hotz (Drexel Hill, PA/Upper Darby),
Tori Blaker (Corning, NY/Corning-Painted Post West), and
Sam Killian (Webster, NY/Webster Schroeder) registered a hit each. Hotz was 1-for-2, while Lunderman was 2-for-3 at the plate.
For Western New England, Emily Cramer started and pitched five scoreless innings, allowing five hits and striking out one. Paige Uliase came in during the sixth, and allowed just one hit, no runs, and struck out one, getting the save for the Golden Bears.
Katie Wood led the way for Western New England, going 1-for-3 from the plate with a two-run home run in the third inning. Wood, Corianna DeLisi, and Giovanna Russo all scored for the Golden Bears, while six different players registered hits, including two from Russo.
In game two,
Lauren Mahar (Rotterdam, NY/Schalmont) pitched a complete-game gem, allowing just one hit, getting her third win of the season. Mahar held a no-hitter until Ryder got a single up the middle in the bottom of the sixth with two outs. She is 3-0 with a 0.90 earned run average and 22 strikeouts in 20 innings this season.
For Gordon, Abigail Knowlton got the loss, allowing three runs on six hits in 3 2/3 innings. Caitlin Catalanotto pitched the remainder of the game, allowing four runs on eight hits.
Six different Tigers crossed the plate in game two, as
Sarah Thayer (Tully, NY/Fabius-Pompey) scored two runs, while Guinan, Farner,
KayLee Steiner (Jamesville, NY/Manlius Pebble Hill),
Olivia Doret (Fairfax, VA/Chantilly), and
Laura Weintraub (Syosset, NY/Syosset) scored once each.
The Tigers got on the board first in the third inning, as Lunderman hit a RBI triple to left field. RIT would then add two more scores in the fourth, as Weintraub and Thayer scored on RBI singles.
After Gordon decided to make a pitching change, RIT was held scoreless in the fifth, but knocked in another run on an RBI single in the sixth. The Tigers then sealed the game with three more scores in the top of the seventh inning, oa two-run double and single.
Guinan continued her torrid start, going 4-for-5 with two RBIs. Doret was 3-for-4, while Thayer went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs in RIT's 14-hit attack.
The Tigers will be back in action on Monday in a doubleheader at Sleepy Hollow Fields, first at 6 p.m. against Westfield State University, followed by an 8:30 p.m. matchup with the University of Scranton.
