HAMILTON QUIETS SAINTS’ BATS,

SWEEP DOUBLEHEADER 4-1 AND 1-0

April 16: The St. Lawrence University softball team received solid pitching performances from first year students Meg Goodemote and Rachel Duffany on Wednesday, as the rookie duo held Hamilton College in check throughout both games of a doubleheader. However, the Saints’ could muster little offense against Hamilton ’s Megan Coughlin as the Continentals escaped with 4-1 and 1-0 victories at Saints Softball Field.

 

St. Lawrence dropped to 3-15 on the season with the losses, extending their winless streak to 11 games while Hamilton improved to 10-12 on the year with the back-to-back wins.

 

Hamilton struck first in the opening game off of Goodemote in the 2nd inning, though the run was unearned. With runners on first and third and one away, a throwing error allowed both runners to advance and give the Continentals a 1-0 lead. Goodemote, however, would buckle down and retire both Liz Reid and Robin Brown to end the inning.

 

The visitors would grab a 2-0 lead in the 5th when Kelly Fitzsimmons came across on a passed ball. Goodemote again worked her way out of a jam, as she retired consecutive batters with Continentals on second and third.

 

The Saints’ got a spark in the bottom of the six when rookie Melissa Rogers drew a one-out walk on Coughlin. Sophomore short stop Molly Swan then delivered an RBI triple to centerfield to score Rogers, cutting the team’s deficit to 2-1.

 

Swan, representing the tying run at third base, would gamble on the following play as she tried to score on a ball hit back to the pitcher off the bat of fellow classmate Jessica Manderfield. Coughlin alertly got the ball to her catcher Amber O’Connor who tagged Swan out at home and threw Manderfield out at second trying to advance on the play for an inning-ending double play.

 

Hamilton would tack on two insurance runs in the top of the 7th on three hits and one error. Trailing by the score of 4-1, the Saints would bring Goodemote to the plate in the bottom half of the inning representing the tying run with runners on first and third. However, Coughlin got her to fly out to the first basemen to end the contest.

 

The second half of the doubleheader also proved to be a pitcher’s dual, as Duffany squared off against Coughlin with each hurler allowing only five hits a piece. St. Lawrence would squander a chance in the first inning after back-to-back hits, while Duffany didn’t allow a hit until the 4th inning and got back-to-back strikeouts to strand a Hamilton runner at third base in the top half of the 3rd inning.

 

With the game still scoreless in the top of the 7th, Duffany retired Jen Sadowky and Coughlin before surrendering a walk to Leigh Sherrow. In a close play at second, Sherrow stole a bag and would come around to score on a clutch base hit to left field by Liz Farrington for the go-ahead run.

 

The Saints were unable to get any momentum going in the bottom of the inning, as they went down in order, losing a tight 1-0 game.

 

Coughlin allowed only seven hits on the day for Hamilton and improved to 7-7 on the season with the two wins. Goodemote fell to 3-6 on the year after allowing four runs on 10 hits with five strikeouts, while Duffany dropped to 0-9 despite a solid outing including three strikeouts.

 

St. Lawrence will be in action again on Saturday, April 19 when they visit the University of Rochester for a doubleheader beginning at 1:00pm.