Softball 3/23/2011 1:21:00 AM Canisius College Athletics

Softball Earns a Split at UC Riverside

The Canisius College softball team fought off a tough loss in the first game by cruising to a 9-4 win in the nightcap as the Golden Griffins split a non-league doubleheader with UC Riverside Tuesday afternoon at Harrison Field in Riverside, Calif. The host Highlanders scored a run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh in the first game to pick up the win, but Canisius (10-5) bounced back by scoring in each of the first four innings of game two.

In the nightcap victory, the Blue and Gold posted 13 hits and and took advantage of five UC Riverside errors. In the first inning, senior Lauren Hope scored on an error by the Highlanders' catcher, and the Blue and Gold followed that with a three-run second, highlighted by an RBI-hit by Hope and a two-RBI base knock off the bat of senior Paige Freiberger. UC Riverside scored a single run in the bottom of the second to make the game 4-1 in favor of the Blue and Gold, but Canisius ended any chance of a home team rally with two runs in the third frame, with one of those runs crossing the plate on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Stephanie Pfentner.

Hope closed out the second game by going 4-for-5 with two runs scored, a run batted in and a stolen base, which is the 100th steal in her career. Senior Emily Helbig went 3-for-3 with a double, a run scored and an RBI in the win, while Pfentner and Freiberger drove in two apiece for the Blue and Gold. Sophomore Amanda Baun moved to 5-2 on the year by earning the win in the circle. She tossed four innings and allowed two runs on three hits. Freshman Jen Consaul earned her second save of the season after she tossed three innings and gave up two runs, both unearned, on four hits to go with a strikeout and a walk.

The win in the second game came after Canisius fell in the first game by a score of 5-4. UC Riverside (7-16) jumped out to a 4-0 lead through three innings, but the Blue and Gold fought back to tie the game at 4-4 in the sixth on a sac-fly by Hope. Canisius scored three runs in the top of the fourth, with the big blow coming off the bat of junior Katie Lancellotti, who ripped a two-run shot to left which allowed Freiberger to score as well.

With the game tied in the seventh, UC Riverside got a one-out base hit and then moved the runner to second on a sacrifice bunt. With two down, Kameryn Hebenton gave her team the win with a base hit off losing pitcher Caroline Main.

Main saw her record move to 4-2 on the year after she allowed five runs on 10 hits to go with six strikeouts and a walk in 6.2 innings of work. Canisius racked up 11 hits in the first game, with four players having multi-hit days. Lancellotti's homer was the team's only extra-base hit as she posted two hits in the loss, as did Pfentner, Helbig and junior Lizzy Gatto.

Canisius will return to action on Wednesday with a single game at Loyola Marymount. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

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

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

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

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

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

#28 Lauren Hope: OF; 5' 2"; Senior

#14 Katie Lancellotti: IF; 5' 9"; Junior

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

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

Players Mentioned

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

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

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

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

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

#28 Lauren Hope
: 5' 2"; Senior
: OF

#14 Katie Lancellotti
: 5' 9"; Junior
: IF

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

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