The Canisius College softball team improved to 17-13 overall
and 3-1 in MAAC play after taking a league doubleheader from Siena Saturday
afternoon at the Demske Sports Complex. The Golden Griffins won the first game
6-0 before taking the nightcap 7-2. Canisius has now won five straight overall,
while the Saints slipped to 4-27 overall and 0-2 in MAAC action.
Canisius starting pitchers Amanda Baun and Caroline Main
combined to give up just two runs on 13 hits through 14 innings of action on
Saturday, while striking out 18 and walking three. Baun improved to 10-8 on the
season with the win in game one after she shutout the Saints on four hits while
fanning eight. Main came on in game two and scattered nine hits over seven
innings while allowing two runs and striking out a career-high 10 batters.
In the first game, Canisius scored four runs in the home
half of the fourth to secure the team's fourth-straight victory overall. With
the bases loaded and two outs, senior Michelle Fridey ripped a shot to right
field that cleared the bases and then she scored on a throwing error by the
Siena defense. Fridey put the Blue and Gold on the board in the bottom of the
first with an RBI-single to right which allowed teammate Lauren Hope to score
from third. Hope started the frame with a triple on the second pitch she saw
from losing pitcher Mandy Ferro.
Hope, Fridey, Paige Freiberger and Lauren Falzone had two
hits apiece in the game one victory, with Fridey going 2-for-2 with a triple,
four RBIs and a run scored. Ferro took the loss in the circle for the Saints
after she allowed six runs, all earned, on 10 hits while walking one and
striking out three.
In the second game, the Griffs wasted little time scoring
runs, posting one on the scoreboard when Lizzy Gatto scored on a wild pitch. After
the Saints tied the game at 1-1 in the third, Canisius took advantage of a
Siena error in the bottom half of the inning and scored four times to take a 5-1
margin. Gatto made the game 2-1 in
favor of the Blue and Gold when she scored on a wild pitch for a second time,
and then sophomore Katie Lancellotti broke the game open by driving in two runs
with a base hit to right.
Gatto went 2-for-3 with two runs scored in the win while
junior Kerry Ulmer came on and knocked in two RBIs with a pinch-hit triple in
the fifth. Siena starter Amanda Filippazzo took the loss after she gave up
seven runs, three of which were earned, on eight hits while walking three and
striking out five.
Canisius will return to action April 14, when the Griffs
play at St. Francis (Pa.). The first game is set for 3 p.m.
Game Notes: Canisius now leads the all-time series between
the two schools by a 35-5 count... The Griffs have won nine of the last 10
meetings with the Saints... Canisius is 30-4 at home in MAAC games since the 2006
season... Fridey's four RBIs in game one marks the third time this season she's
driven in four runs in a game... Hope's triple in the first game was her fourth this season, which leads the MAAC... Ulmer's triple in game two was the first of her career... The Griffs were a perfect 2-for-2 in stolen base
chances on Saturday and now have 60 steals as a team this year.
