RENSSELAER SWEEPS SAINTS IN

LIBERTY LEAGUE OPENERS

Apr. 19: The St. Lawrence University softball team opened up their 2009 conference schedule on Sunday afternoon with a doubleheader against Rensselaer in Canton, NY.  The Red Hawks claimed an 8-0 win in the opening game, then scored 11 unanswered runs in game two to earn the sweep against the Saints.

The wins move RPI to 18-4 on the season, while St. Lawrence drops to 4-16.

Leading the way in game one for the visitors was Jen Bach, as the Rensselaer sophomore finished 3-of-4 with four RBI’s and a run scored on a two-run homer in the first inning that made it 2-0.  Rensselaer would tack on four runs in the second inning on St. Lawrence sophomore pitcher Meg Goodemote for a 6-0 advantage, with Bach again delivering a key two-run triple to cap the Red Hawks’ scoring.

The Saints had several quality scoring chances in the opener, as the team left 12 runners on base and were unable to deliver a clutch hit.  The Scarlet and Brown loaded the bases against RPI pitcher Sara Finkbeiner in the bottom of the first but came away empty, then stranded two runners in the bottom of the third.

Trailing 6-0, the Saints’ had a chance to get back into the game again in the bottom of the sixth, as they once again loaded the bases on Finkbeiner with two outs.  However, sophomore Melissa Rogers was retired on a line out to left field to allow RPI to escape the scoring threat.

The Red Hawks would put the finishing touches on the victory with a two-run top half of the seventh on a two-run homer off the bat of Alysa Rochminski.  Though St. Lawrence would again leave two runners on base in the bottom of the seventh, they were unable to score a run against relief pitcher Felicia Bua as RPI picked up an 8-0 win.

Finkbeiner earned the win having allowed six hits and four walks in 6.1 innings, while Goodemote remained winless on the season after giving up eight earned runs on 10 hits.  Junior Amy Atkins had a solid outing at the plate for St. Lawrence, as she finished 2-for-2 with a pair of walks. 

Atkins would pick up right where she left off in game two, as the Westerlo, NY native drilled an RBI triple off of Bach to right field in the bottom of the first to score junior Molly Swan and give the home team an early 1-0 lead.  However, the run would be the only one surrendered by Bach in the game, as she held the Saints to only four hits while striking out seven hitters.

Rensselaer, who went down quietly in the top of the first against sophomore pitcher Rachel Duffany, would grab a lead 2-1 in the top of the second on an two-run triple by Kelly Erkert.  With Bach cruising on the mound, Rensselaer was able to tack on two more in the fourth before putting the game away with seven runs in the final two innings.

Two St. Lawrence errors in the fourth inning set up the Red Hawks’ offense, as Rochminski and Erkert delivered RBI singles to make it 4-1.  The Saints then committed two more errors in the sixth, and with four RPI hits, gave up four more runs to give the visitors an 8-1 cushion.  Rensselaer then capped the scoring with three more runs in the top of the seventh on three hits, including a two-run single by Bach.

Five Red Hawks each finished with two hits in game two for Rensselaer, while Julianne Bass scored three runs.  Bach, who remained unbeaten on the season (5-0), allowed only one St. Lawrence base runner in the final four innings.  Meanwhile, Atkins continued to look sharp at the plate, as she picked up two of her team’s four hits in game two and the lone RBI.  Duffany, who was solid through the first five innings, struggled in the final two.  The Watertown, NY native allowed six earned runs on 12 hits while giving up five walks to only one strikeout.

St. Lawrence will be back in action on Tuesday, April 21 when they welcome Potsdam State to Saints Softball Field for a non-conference doubleheader beginning at 3:00pm.

 

 

GIRARD, DUFFANY FUEL SAINTS'

SPLIT WITH HAMILTON

Apr. 15: The St. Lawrence University softball team snapped a seven-game losing skid on Wednesday evening, as the Saints split a non-conference doubleheader with Hamilton College in Clinton, NY.  The Continentals rallied for a 7-5 win in the opener, while a four-run first inning was enough support for sophomore pitcher Rachel Duffany, who guided St. Lawrence to a 6-3 win in game two.

St. Lawrence moves to 4-14 on the year with the split, and was able to give their pitchers some offense after struggling at the plate over the last seven games.  Meanwhile, Hamilton’s 2009 record stands at 5-18 after the win and loss.

St. Lawrence University junior captain Jennifer Girard finished 4-for-8 with four runs scored in the doubleheader, as she served as the visitor’s spark plug in getting the offense back on track.  She and sophomore Erika Alvarez were the lone Saints to earn multi-hit games on the day.

The Saints and Continentals each scored a pair of runs in the first inning of game one, but Hamilton claimed a 4-2 lead in the second against St. Lawrence sophomore pitcher Meg Goodemote.  Amber O’Conner drove an RBI single to right field while Megan Coughlin added a bases loaded walk to cap the scoring in the inning, as Goodemote would avoid further damage.

St. Lawrence would bounce right back with a three-run third inning to take a 5-4 lead behind two hits and two Hamilton errors.  After senior Sandy Gates scored on an RBI by sophomore Melissa Rogers, Girard and Rogers came around to score on a two-out single by junior Amy Atkins.

Goodemote seemed to settle in during the middle innings, as she kept Hamilton off the scoreboard in the third and fourth.  However the home team struck twice in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI double by O’Connor and a wild pitch to regain a 6-5 lead.  Though the Continentals would get an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh, the offense was enough for Coughlin, who allowed no St. Lawrence runs and only two base-runners after the third inning.  Her performance on the mound was enough to give Hamilton a 7-5 win, with Coughlin improving to 3-11 on the year.

Goodemote suffered the loss and remained winless on the year (0-9), allowing eight hits and five earned runs.  She also allowed six walks, two wild pitches and two hit batsmen.

Despite the loss, St. Lawrence jumped out to a solid 4-0 lead in the top half of the first inning of game two, giving them all of the momentum and Duffany a lead upon taking the mound.  The visitors picked up five hits against Mandy Hyne, knocking her from the game after only 0.2 innings pitched, while plating four runs. 

Hamilton made it 4-1 in the bottom of the first on an RBI single by Liz Reid, but the Saints came right back to score a run in both the top of the second and third to build a 6-1 advantage.  Girard started the offense in the second with a lead-off bunt single and came around on an RBI single from Atkins.  Alvarez then delivered a two-out double and scored on an error in the third inning for a five-run lead.

The offense was plenty for Duffany, who scattered seven hits and allowed only two earned runs in the game.  The Watertown, NY native struck out three while allowing only one walk to improve to 4-5 on the year behind the 6-3 St. Lawrence win.

Hyne suffered the loss for the Continentals after allowing five hits and four runs while recording only two outs.  Coughlin was solid in relief, allowing only two runs on four hits in 6.1 innings.

 

The Saints will return home for an eight-game home stand which begins on Saturday, April 18 when they welcome Rensselaer to Canton, NY.  The doubleheader between the two Liberty League foes will begin at 1:00pm.