SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Le Moyne's Alexis Eastman sat eight batters down while sophomore Courtney Case hit 5-for-6 on the day to send The College of Saint Rose softball team home with 10-2 (5 inn.) and 5-2
Northeast-10 Conference and Upstate Challenge losses Tuesday afternoon from Niland Athletic Complex.
The Golden Knights dropped to 10-15 overall, and 3-6 in the NE-10, while the Dolphins improved to 11-8, 4-5.
After taking game one in five innings, Le Moyne kept momentum going in the latter contest as Case led off the inning with a double. She moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from junior Meagan Malarkey, and advanced home as sophomore Sabrina Riley ripped a RBI single to second.
With runners on second and third in the fourth, Saint Rose tied the game up off a sacrifice fly to center from freshman
Taylor Solomon.
The Dolphins used a powerful fifth inning, which included four runs off four hits, to put up a 5-1 lead and the eventual win. Senior Jillian Jacinth recorded the first RBI as she singled to short with ducks on second and third. Malarkey pinch ran for Jacinth, and moved up a base, along with Case who was on second, off a wild pitch. Sophomore Kelly Mascari stepped up next and cleared the bases with a homer to left center.
The Golden Knights picked up their second and final run in the sixth as junior
Taylor Snyder and Solomon occupied first and second with junior
Tina Karaqi at the plate. Karaqi sent a shot to center field, and allowed Solomon to scoot home.
Senior
Ashlee Frazier (1-2) threw a complete game and suffered the loss in the circle. Frazier gave up eight hits and five runs, all of them earned, while fanning a season-high six batters.
In game one, Le Moyne got on the board early with a home run to left from Riley.
Case, Riley and Mascari all picked up RBI in the second, while Riley also scored on a passed ball to take a commanding 6-0 lead.
Saint Rose picked up both of its tallies in the fourth, starting with a lead-off double from Snyder to center. Snyder advanced to third when senior
Kari Bird singled to center. Both runners were later sent home when junior
Danielle Brusca ripped a two RBI single up the middle.
The Dolphins did not waste any time building their lead once again in the bottom of the inning, taking advantage of an error from catcher
Alexis Williams. Junior Allison Reynolds led off the inning with a bunt, advanced to second on Williams' error, then moved to third on the throw. Later in the inning, Marlarkey laid down a sacrifice bunt to send Reynolds home.
Le Moyne tacked on three more in the fifth off three RBI singles and an error.
Junior
Nicole Wickham (6-8) was given the loss after getting the start and hauling two complete innings. Frazier entered in the third, also throwing a pair of innings, while junior
Danielle Dayton took over in the fifth. Wickham and Frazier struck out two batters apiece, and gave up a combined 10 hits and eight runs, seven of them earned.
From the plate, Solomon dished out a 3-for-6 performance, while Snyder picked up two hits and Karaqi nabbed one.
Saint Rose is set to return home on Wednesday to host NE-10 foe Saint Michael's starting at 3:00 pm from Cathy Haker Field. The Golden Knights hit the road this weekend to face Merrimack on Saturday, and American International on Sunday.
Please visit gogoldenknights.com for the latest news and results on Saint Rose athletics. Sign up for our SMS text message service to have results sent directly to your cell phone by clicking here. Sign up for our E-Newsletter for the latest news by clicking here, and for information on the Golden Knights Club, click here.
