HOWRIGAN LEADS SAINTS TO SWEEP OF POTSDAM

April 6: Junior infielder Rebekah Howrigan (right) had five hits in eight at  bats, scored four runs and drove in seven to lead St. Lawrence University’s softball team to a 7-2, 12-7 sweep of neighboring rival Potsdam College at the Saint softball field Wednesday afternoon.

The Saints, who will open Liberty League play at Skidmore and Union on Saturday and Sunday, improve to 6-6 overall while Potsdam is now 4-6 on the season. The Union games will be played at the University at Albany as Union's new field is not yet ready for use.

Heather Tuttle pitched a four hitter in the opener, allowing just two unearned runs and the Saints scored three times in the fourth to break open a one-run game. Ashley Porter, who went three for three in the game, singled in one run in the fourth and Howrigan hit a two-run double.

Paige Truax went three for four and scored three runs for the Saints and Shawna Weeks was two for three with a run scoring double. Nichole Fisher tripled for Potsdam and Carrie Newcomb had a run-scoring single. Amanda Maxwell took the loss for the Bears.

The Saints jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first game, but Potsdam battled back to tie it at 7-7 in the top of the fifth. First year shortstop Emilie Lannamann drove a single to right with the bases loaded and two out in the bottom of the sixth to snap the tie and the Saints tacked on three more runs in the inning for their 12-7 win.

Ava Pickering went the first three innings and allowed one run on two hits for the Saints. First year pitcher Jess McPherson battled back after Potsdam tied it in the fifth and shut the Bears out in the sixth and seventh to earn her second victory of the year.

The Saints scored four in the first as Howrigan had a two run single to key the inning and added three in the second on Howrigan’s two run double and a run-scoring double by Tuttle.

Back to back doubles by Mary Polidori and Mary Olesheski produced a run in the top of the third for Potsdam and the Bears scored four in the top of the fourth off McPherson with a two run single by Toni Blevins and a run-scoring double by Fisher the big hits in the inning. The Bears tied it in the top of the fifth with the help of Leslie Hartley’s rbi single and an error.

Howrigan led off the bottom of the sixth with a single down the third base line and Tuttle singled to center. Maxwell, who came on in relief of Roseanne Weaver in the fourth, got two out before McPherson drew a walk to load the bases. Lannamann then hit the game-winning single. A wild pitch, and a two-run single by Truax plated the other Saint runs.