Softball 2/19/2011 4:00:00 AM Canisius College Athletics

Softball Opens 2011 with a Pair of Wins

The Canisius College softball team opened the 2011 season with a pair of wins on Friday on the first day of the CofC Cougar Classic in Charleston, S.C. The Golden Griffins started the year off right with a 4-3 victory over the host College of Charleston Cougars (1-3) before taking down Morehead State 6-4 in the final game of the night. The Eagles slipped to 1-5 with the loss to the Blue and Gold.

In the first game, the host Cougars got on the board first with a solo homer in the home half of the third and then jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the fourth after back-to-back RBI hits. Canisius knotted the game at 3-3 in the top of the fourth, with the rally starting thanks to the bat of senior Kerry Ulmer. Ulmer led off the frame with a single to left, and then advanced to second when junior Lauren Falzone reached on an infield hit. With no one out, freshman Valorie Nappo dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners, but a College of Charleston throwing error allowed Nappo to race to third, while Ulmer and Falzone scored. Moments later, sophomore Katie Medina hit a sac-fly to center that plated Nappo, as all three of the Blue and Gold's runs that inning were unearned.

After retiring the Cougars in order in the bottom of the fifth, sophomore catcher Stephanie Pfentner put Canisius ahead for good with her first career homer run to lead off the sixth. The Cougars tried to rally in the home half of the seventh, but with the bases loaded and two outs, junior pitcher Caroline Main fanned Charleston's Amanda Longergan for the final out to preserve the win.

Main picked up her first win of the season after she allowed three runs on six hits while fanning six and walking four in seven innings. Senior Emily Helbig went 2-for-4 in the win for the Griffs, while Pfentner, Ulmer, Falzone and senior Paige Freiberger all added hits to the winning effort.

In the nightcap, the Blue and Gold scored two runs in the second on the power of Pfentner's second home run of the day, this time a two-run shot to right center, which allowed Freiberger to cross the plate as well. Morehead State scored the game's next four runs to lead 4-2 after four innings before the Griffs scored three times in the top of the fifth to take a 5-4 lead. After Medina led off that inning with a base hit to right, junior Lizzy Gatto pushed her around the bases with a triple to left center. Freiberger followed Gatto's extra-base hit with a double of her own allowing Gatto to score, and Canisius took the lead when Freiberger raced home from third on a passed ball. In the seventh, Canisius added an insurance run when Freiberger, who led the inning off with a triple, scored on a base-hit to right by Pfentner.

Sophomore Amanda Baun earned the win for Canisius after she allowed four runs, three earned, on four hits while walking six and striking out three. Freshman Jen Consaul picked up the save in relief as she threw the final 1.1 innings, where she gave up just one hit and struck out two.

Canisius will return to action with two games on Saturday, starting at noon when the team takes on Akron. The Griffs are also scheduled to meet Towson at 4 p.m. on the second day of the CofC Cougar Classic.

Game Notes: Canisius starts the season 2-0 for the fifth time since the 2002 season... Pfentner had four RBI on the day - she had five all of last year... The triple by Gatto in the second game was the sixth of her career... The Feb. 18 start date is the latest start date for the program since the 2008 campaign.

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Players Mentioned

#20 Amanda Baun: P; 5' 8"; Sophomore

#36 Jen Consaul: P; 5' 9"; Freshman

#21 Lauren Falzone: OF; 5' 4"; Junior

#16 Paige Freiberger: IF; 5' 4"; Senior

#47 Lizzy Gatto: OF; 5' 1"; Junior

#33 Emily Helbig: IF; 5' 9"; Senior

#10 Caroline Main: P; 5' 10"; Junior

#13 Katie Medina: IF; 5' 11"; Sophomore

#5 Valorie Nappo: 1B; 5' 8"; Freshman

#18 Stephanie Pfentner: C; 5' 8"; Sophomore

#4 Kerry Ulmer: 1B; 5' 10"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#20 Amanda Baun
: 5' 8"; Sophomore
: P

#36 Jen Consaul
: 5' 9"; Freshman
: P

#21 Lauren Falzone
: 5' 4"; Junior
: OF

#16 Paige Freiberger
: 5' 4"; Senior
: IF

#47 Lizzy Gatto
: 5' 1"; Junior
: OF

#33 Emily Helbig
: 5' 9"; Senior
: IF

#10 Caroline Main
: 5' 10"; Junior
: P

#13 Katie Medina
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: IF

#5 Valorie Nappo
: 5' 8"; Freshman
: 1B

#18 Stephanie Pfentner
: 5' 8"; Sophomore
: C

#4 Kerry Ulmer
: 5' 10"; Senior
: 1B