The Canisius College softball team moved its winning streak to seven straight with a MAAC doubleheader sweep of Rider Sunday afternoon at the Demske Sports Complex. The Golden Griffins (26-14, 8-2 MAAC) took game one 12-2 in five innings before taking the nightcap by a final of 8-0 in five innings. The Broncs slipped to 11-28-1 overall and 4-6 in league play with the pair of losses.

The Griffs ended the first game early with four runs in the home half of the fifth on the first career grand slam by sophomore Amanda Cannizzo. With Canisius leading 8-2 in the bottom of the fifth, junior Paige Freiberger drew a leadoff walk and then advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Katie Lancellotti. Freiberger would advance to third on a wild pitch that was also ball four to sophomore Lizzy Gatto, who promptly stole second base as the catcher retrieved the ball from the backstop. After junior Emily Helbig drew a walk, Cannizzo followed with her first career homer to the gap in left center to end the game.

Rider scored two runs in the top of the first on two RBI-base hits, but the Blue and Gold answered with two runs in the home half of the frame to knot the game at 2-2. Freshman Katie Medina drew a one-out walk and senior Michelle Fridey followed up with a two-run homer to straight-away center, her fifth homer of the season. In the second, Canisius scored five runs, with the key hit coming from Freiberger, who drove in three runs with a triple that bounced off the left field fence.

The Griffs scored their 12 runs in the first game on six hits, with Cannizzo going 2-for-3 with the grand slam, a run scored and five RBIs. Fridey went 1-for-2 with a homer, two runs scored and three RBIs, while Freiberger went 1-for-2 with a triple, a run scored and three runs knocked in. Sophomore starter Caroline Main earned the complete-game win in the circle after she allowed two runs on three hits while striking out four and walking three in five innings.

In the second game, the Griffs pounded out eight runs through the first three innings on 10 hits to improve to 6-0 at home this season. In the first, Medina scored on a wild pitch by Rider starter Rachael Matreale to make the game 1-0 in favor of Canisius, and then the Griffs added two more runs in the second when Medina and Fridey each registered RBI-base hits. In the third, the Griffs crossed the dish five times, highlighted by a single from junior Lauren Hope that knocked in two and a double by Fridey that allowed two runs to score.

Freshman Amanda Baun posted her team-leading sixth shutout win of the season as she gave up just four hits and struck out three in five innings. Matreale was saddled with the loss in both games, seeing her record fall to 6-16 this season.

In the second game, Medina went 3-for-3 with two runs scored, two RBIs and a stolen base, while Fredey and Helbig also had two hits in the win. Rider's Heather Muscara was the only Bronc to have two hits on the day as Rider only pushed two base runners to third base after the first inning of the first game.

The Griffs will return to action Wednesday, April 28, when the team travels to cross-town rival Buffalo for a non-conference game. First pitch is set for 4 p.m., at UB's Nan Harvey Field.

Game Notes: The Griffs improved to 8-2 in the last 10 games against Rider during regular-season games and leads the all-time series between the two schools by a 20-12 count... Canisius has won 15 of its 17 games in the month of April this season and now boasts 27 wins during the month of April in the 2009 and 2010 seasons... Canisius has outscored its opponents 44-5 at home this season and the Griffs' pitching staff has not allowed an extra-base hit at the Demske Sports Complex this year... Fridey's six RBIs on Sunday gives her 46 this year, which is one shy of tying the school's single-season RBI record, set by Colleen Sandor in 1985... Fridey is now tied for fourth in program history with 107 career runs batted in... The school record is 144 for a career, held by former Griff Meg Thompson... Fridey is now hitting .390 (23-for-59) with runners in scoring position... Freiberger's three RBIs with two outs in game one gives her a team-high 18 runs knocked in with two outs this year... Gatto is currently on a seven-game hitting streak... In her last eight starts, Main is 8-0 with 44 strikeouts and 12 earned runs allowed in 49 innings of work.