RED HAWKS EARN SWEEP AGAINST SAINTS

IN LIBERTY LEAGUE OPENERS

Apr. 14: The St. Lawrence University softball team opened their 2007 Liberty League schedule on Saturday afternoon with a doubleheader against Rensselaer at the Saints Softball Field. Sophomore pitcher Janelle Graves gave an admirable performance, throwing both games for the Scarlet and Brown with senior pitcher Ava Pickering forced to sit due to injury. However, the Red Hawks received solid pitching performances of their own from Michelle Street and Michelle Bianchetti to sweep the Saints by the scores of 5-1 and 9-1 (5 innings).

 

The Red Hawks jumped out early on their hosts in the first game of the doubleheader, loading the bases with nobody out in the top half of the first inning against Graves. After Julianne Bass was hit by a pitch to score the game’s first run, Natalie Gendron delivered a double to score both Beth Gargon and Courtney Sweeney to put RPI ahead 3-0. Though the Red Hawks would again load the bases, Graves would battle out of the jam with a strike out, a fielder’s choice, and a fly out to control the damage.

 

After the Saints were unable to get any offense going despite having the leadoff runner on base in the bottom of the first, Rensselaer went right back to work in the top of the second inning. After Graves retired the first two Red Hawk hitters, she got into trouble by hitting Gargon. With the runner at first, Bass delivered a clutch two-out homerun over the left-centerfield wall to put the visitors on top 5-0.

 

Though the Saints were able to get their leadoff runner on base in three of the first four innings, Street bucked down and worked her way out of trouble to keep her opponents off the scoreboard. However, Graves was equally impressive, blanking RPI the rest of the game.

 

St. Lawrence plated their only run of the game in the bottom of the seventh, as first year student Alexandria Wajer reached on an error by Street and advanced to second base. Fellow rookie Molly Swan then stepped to the plate and roped a one-out double to centerfield, scoring Wajer to make the score 5-1. Street would collect herself, though, and managed to get first year student Julia Humphries and Richardson out on routine fly balls to earn the win. The victory moved her to 7-3 on the season, while Graves fell to 1-5 despite giving up only six hits and two walks in seven innings.

 

With Pickering out of the Saints pitching rotation, Graves was forced to throw in the second half of the doubleheader as well. Though she allowed a run in the first to Rensselaer, she got the visitors out 1-2-3 in the second. The Scarlet and Brown continued to struggle with runners in scoring position, though, as they stranded Manderfield on base in the bottom of the second after a leadoff double.

 

The Red Hawks would open things up in the third inning, plating seven runs to take an 8-0 lead. Gargon delivered an RBI double to score two and was followed by Bass who came through with an RBI single. It was then Kate Stira’s double that scored Logan Russell and Gendron that made the score 6-1. Becky Bailey and Sara Finkbeiner then added back-to-back RBI singles to complete the scoring in the inning for Rensselaer.

 

The Saints would score their lone run of the game in the bottom of the fourth, as Manderfield started things off with a one-out single to center. After Jenna Padeni reached on a fielder’s choice that had Manderfield forced out at second, first year student Amy Atkins reached on an error by Bianchetti, who allowed only two St. Lawrence hits in the second game. However, the error would allow Padeni to score all the way from first and get the Saints on the scoreboard trailing 8-1.

 

Rensselaer would waste little time in getting the run back, as they manufactured a run in the top of the fifth to extend their lead back to eight runs at 9-1. After Bianchetti got senior Yralee Mendez, Swan, and Humphries in order in the bottom half of the fifth, the game was called and the Red Hawks completed the sweep of the Saints.

 

Bianchetti finished with four strikeouts in five innings to improve to 8-2 overall. Graves dropped to 1-6 after the second game, allowing eleven hits and seven earned runs.

 

“I thought Janelle really gave a great performance today, and we simply need to hit the ball,” said Saints head coach Fran Grembowicz. “We had our chances in the first game with leadoff runners on but we didn’t capitalize.”

 

 

 

FRIDAY'S DOUBLEHEADER WITH RUSSELL SAGE POSTPONED DUE TO WEATHER

Apr. 13: This afternoon's doubleheader between the Saints and Russell Sage Gators has been postponed due to weather. Though the game will be rescheduled, no date has been determined.

 

The Saints hope to be in action in their 2007 Liberty League opener against Rensselaer tomorrow, Saturday, March 14th. The doubleheader between St. Lawrence and the Red Hawks is scheduled to begin at 1:00pm at the Saints Softball Field.

 

 

CARDINAL PITCHERS KEEP SAINTS OFFENSE QUIET AS PLATTSBURGH EARNS SWEEP

Apr. 10: The Plattsburgh State Cardinals received back-to-back complete game shutouts from pitchers Stephanie Zweig and Jaclyn Leitze, sweeping the St. Lawrence University softball team 6-0 and 8-0 in their doubleheader on Tuesday evening. Junior Nicole Bottego led the Saints with two hits in five plate appearances.

 

Neither team was able to get on the board early in the opening game, with Zweig and Saints senior pitcher Ava Pickering exchanging three scoreless innings to start the first half of the doubleheader.

 

The visiting Saints had a quality chance to take the lead in the top of the fourth, when sophomore Meghan Richardson and rookie Jessica Manderfield led off the inning with back-to-back singles. After a sac bunt from first year student Jenna Padeni advanced the runners, Bottego came to the plate with a chance to put the Scarlet and Brown ahead. Zweig bucked down, though, and struck Bottego out swinging, then got sophomore Lilah Brown to ground out to second base to end the threat.

 

After escaping the top half of the fourth without allowing a run, Plattsburgh would plate the game's opening run in the bottom half of the inning. The Saints seemed poised to escape the inning after allowing a double to Ashley Napear. With Nicole Pomponio pinch-running at second, Stephanie Blood hit a ground ball to the left side, and the Saints caught Pomponio off second and picked up the second out on the fielder's choice. However, Danielle Gjergji followed with a fly ball to center that was mishandled by centerfielder Yralee Mendez. The error allowed Blood to score all the way from first and give the Cardinals the coveted 1-0 lead.

 

Though St. Lawrence had their leadoff hitter on in the top of the fifth, they were unable to manufacture the tying run, and they went down in order in the sixth. Plattsburgh would take advantage of the Saints lack of offense, and put the game out of reach in the bottom of the sixth. Gjergji came through with a clutch bases loaded single that scored one. Andrea Stupp then delivered the big blow, hitting a grand slam to plate four runs and give the home team a 6-0 lead.

 

Pickering went five innings, allowing six runs on eight hits in taking the loss while Zweig went the distance for Plattsburgh, improving to 5-3 with a four hit, ten strikeout performance.

 

The second half of the doubleheader was all Plattsburgh, as the Cardinals scored at least one run in each of the four innings they batted. Leitze was in control for the Cardinals, striking out eight St. Lawrence batters and allowing only two hits throughout the contest.

 

Meanwhile, sophomore pitcher Janelle Graves struggled against the Cardinals tough batting order, giving up eight earned runs on ten hits. Plattsburgh's Shannon Connors did some damage against the Saints in the second half of the doubleheader, going 2-for-2 with a walk and three RBI's before the game was called after 4.5 innings with the score 8-0 in Plattsburgh's favor.

 

Bottego was the only Saint to record two hits on the day, while rookie Julia Humphries, Richardson, Manderfield, and Padeni all had one hit a piece. Graves' loss in the second game dropped her overall record to 1-4, while Leitze improved to 7-3.

 

The Saints (6-8-1) will be in action again on Friday, April 13th when they welcome Russell Sage to

Canton, NY for a doubleheader at the Saints Softball Field. The Saints and Gators will begin their opening game at 4:00pm.