LEESBURG, FL — The RIT softball team (10-3) split two games in its final day of competition in the National Training Center Spring Games in Florida on Thursday. The Tigers fell 6-3 to Macalester College (8-4) in game one, before winning convincingly, 12-1, against Plattsburgh State (5-7) in game two.
Tori Blaker (Corning, NY/Corning-Painted Post West) led the Tigers with three hits and a run, while
Emily Lazarus (Whitehall, PA/Allentown Catholic) had two RBIs in the opener against Macalester.
Erin Guinan (Geneva, NY/Geneva) and
Alexandria Lunderman (Manlius, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius) each had two hits, while Guinan and
Danielle Hotz (Drexel Hill, PA/Upper Darby) also scored runs.
Lauren Mahar (Rotterdam, NY/Schalmont) hurled a complete game for RIT, allowing four earned runs on 11 hits, while striking out three batters. The loss was her first of the season, dropping her to 4-1 on the year.
For Macalester, Julia Carpenter was 4-for-4 with two runs scored, while Claire O'Connor finished with two hits, three RBIs, and a run scored. G.G. Gunther had three runs and two hits. On the mound, Sophie Migacz went five innings, allowing one run on six hits, with three strikeouts, and picking up the win. Morghan Bean came in for the last two frames, allowing two runs on three hits, getting the save.
Macalester went up 3-0 in the first inning, but the Tigers came back in the third with a two-run double by Lazarus, driving in Hotz and Guinan, making it 3-2. The teams then exchanged runs in the fifth inning, including a run by Blaker on an error. Macalester increased its lead to 6-3 in the seventh, and the Tigers were unable to come back from there.
Game two was when the Tigers' offense picked back up. RIT beat Plattsburgh State 12-1 in six innings, including a five-run fifth inning and seven-run sixth inning. RIT drew 15 walks in the victory.
Guinan and Blaker led the way again, as Guinan was 2-for-3 with two runs scored, and Blaker was 2-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Hotz and Lunderman also scored twice each, while Lazarus,
Sam Killian (Webster, NY/Webster Schroeder),
Laura Weintraub (Syosset, NY/Syosset), and
Olivia Doret (Fairfax, VA/Chantilly) had one score apiece.
Sierra Valentine (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena) pitched a complete game, allowing just one run on six hits, with four strikeouts. The win improved her to 3-1 on the season.
For Plattsburgh, Felicia Torres was 2-for-3, while four others had a hit. Jackie Decker had the only run for the Cardinals, a solo home run in the first inning. Rhea Pitkin took the loss on the mound, going a full six innings, allowing 12 runs on seven hits, while striking out six and walking 15 batters.
After the first inning homer by Torres, the teams were scoreless until the top of the fifth, when RIT heated up. The Tigers scored their first two runs on walks with bases loaded, and the two following on errors. Doret hit a single to center field, scoring Blaker to make it 5-1.
In the sixth, RIT would pour it on with seven more runs, starting with two-RBI doubles by Blaker and Killian. The remainder of the runs scored came on errors and a bases-loaded walk.
RIT finishes its spring trip at the National Training Center Spring Games with a 7-2 mark, and returns home for its next four games. RIT will host Oswego State for a doubleheader on March 25, before Keuka College comes to town on March 30.
