ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT softball team (17-10) dropped a pair of non-league games to SUNY Geneseo (17-9) on Tuesday afternoon, falling by scores of 2-1 and 6-2 from sunny, chilly Tiger Stadium.
Erin Guinan (Geneva, NY/Geneva) paced the Tigers offensively with four more hits, including a pair of doubles to improve her batting average to .478 through 27 games (44-for-92).
In game one, Geneseo's Taylor Moore and RIT's
Sierra Valentine (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena) locked up in a fierce pitcher's duel, as the game was scoreless after five innings.
The Knights would pull ahead with two runs on just one hit in the sixth inning, as a passed ball on a strikeout and a pair of errors would sink the Tigers.
RIT would break up Moore's no-hitter and shutout on two swings in the sixth inning, as Guinan ripped a two out double to left field and scored on a single to left by Hotz to cut the deficit to 2-1.
The Tigers would get no closer, as Moore shut the Tigers down in order in the seventh to pick up her tenth win of the season. She allowed just two hits and one walk, while striking out four batters.
Valentine was nearly as impressive, scattering just four hits and two walks, while allowing the two unearned runs and striking out seven batters. She had a personal four-game winning streak snapped, despite lowering her earned run average to 1.60.
In game two, RIT would get the bats going early, scoring twice on four first inning hits to lead 2-0.
Emily Lazarus (Whitehall, PA/Allentown Catholic) would double home Hotz to make it 1-0 and two batters later, scored on a wild pitch.
The Knights would pull ahead however, with three runs in the top of the second and three more in the third.
Danni Napoli, Anna Merante, and Abby Dennett had a pair of hits apiece to lead the Knights, while Maddison Tucker drove in a pair of runs. Alexis Kidder picked up the win on the mound, allowing seven hits and two runs in four innings. Ashlyn Kersch earned the save, pitching three innings of scoreless relief.
Guinan had three hits for the Tigers, while
Alexa Farner (Gowanda, NY/Gownanda) added two hits.
Torie Adler (West Chester, PA/B. Reed Henderson) would take the loss on the mound, allowing six hits and five runs (three earned) in two-plus innings.
Lauren Mahar (Rotterdam, NY/Schalmont) would pitch the final five innings, allowing four hits and a run, while striking out two batters.
Geneseo leads the all-time series between the two schools, 38-24-1.
RIT returns to Liberty League play this weekend with a pair of home doubleheaders. On Saturday, RIT hosts Union at 1 p.m. and on Sunday, Rensselaer comes to town, also for a 1 p.m. start.
