Stringing
together two hits in the sixth inning of game one and then controlling the
second game, the Canisius College softball team swept Iona 1-0 and 6-2 in a
doubleheader at the Demske Sports Complex on Sunday. Canisius improves to 30-15
overall, 10-0 at home on the season and 12-2 in the MAAC.
The
Golden Griffins take over sole possession of first place in the conference standings
and clinch at least a top-two seed in the MAAC Championship to be held at the
Demske Sports Complex on May 13-16. With one win next week against Marist,
Canisius clinches the No. 1 seed and at least a share of its 13th regular-season
title.
Junior
Lauren Hope had a team-high four
hits on the day. Freshman Katie Medina
scored two runs while senior Michelle
Fridey had two RBI, giving her 50 on the season. Sophomore Caroline Main threw a two-hitter in the
opener, allowing just four base runners while striking out eight to improve to
14-5 on the season.
The
teams stayed scoreless through the fifth in the first game, as Fridey started the bottom of the sixth with a single. Junior Paige Freiberger followed with a triple to right, scoring Fridey.
That run proved to be enough for Main, who allowed two runs in 16 innings of work on
the weekend.
In
the second game, Canisius jumped out to an early lead with a three-run second
inning. Sophomore Katie Lancellotti
led off with a walk and sophomore Lizzy Gatto
beat out a bunt single. Junior Emily
Helbig singled to center to score Lancellotti. After an RBI groundout from sophomore
Amanda Cannizzo scored Gatto, Hope
walked to put runners at the corners. Pinch runner Lauryn Chris would score on a wild pitch to give Canisius the 3-0
lead.
Iona
(23-22, 11-3 MAAC) scored twice in the fourth inning, but couldn't put together a big inning as the Gaels left the bases
loaded. Canisius came right back with two runs in the bottom of the inning.
Hope beat out an infield single and a double from Medina put runners at second
and third. Fridey tripled to right-center, scoring both runners and giving
Canisius its three-run lead back. The Griffs added an insurance run in the
sixth on an RBI single from Freiberger.
Freshman
Amanda Baun also went the distance,
allowing two runs on five hits while striking out 10 to improve to 16-10 on the
season.
Canisius
plays its final regular-season home games of the season on Tuesday, when the
Golden Griffins host Syracuse. First pitch for the doubleheader is set for 3
p.m.
Game Notes: Following
the game, Canisius held its Senior Day ceremony, honoring its lone senior in
Fridey... Canisius is now 10-0 overall in home games this season and improves to
36-4 in MAAC games since the 2006 season... Canisius now leads the all-time
series 34-6 against Iona... The Griffs improve to 20-0 all-time against Iona in
regular-season home games... Fridey extends her hitting streak to a season-long
11 games... Baun struck out double-digit batters for the fifth time this season and
first time since striking out 12 against Binghamton on March 7... Freiberger had
an RBI in all four games on the weekend... Hope hasn't been thrown out in her
last 11 stolen base attempts... Main has allowed 12 earned runs in her last 12
appearances and has an ERA of 0.70 in her last four appearances.
