The Canisius softball team opened the MAAC portion of its 2015 schedule by posting a sweep of Fairfield on the road Sunday, winning game one 7-6 before taking the nightcap 4-1. The Golden Griffins are now 10-9 overall after extending their winning streak to four straight, the team's longest winning streak since Feb. 2013.
In the first game, Canisius led the Stags (3-13, 1-3 MAAC) 3-2 heading into the seventh inning, and the Blue and Gold tacked on four insurance runs in the top-half of the seventh highlighted by an RBI-double by senior Robin Kennery that drove in two runs. Those four runs proved to the crucial, as the Stags scored four times as well in the home-half of the seventh to make the score 7-6. Fairfield had the game-tying run at first and the game-winning run at the plate with two down in the seventh when the Griffs turned to freshman pitcher Erika Mackie, who ended up getting an infield pop-up to end the game. The save for Mackie is her second of the season, and help preserve the win for fellow freshman pitcher Madi Weathers, who earned her fifth win of the season in the circle after she allowed six runs on 11 hits while striking out three and walking one.
Canisius pounded out 11 hits in the game one victory, with junior Alexis Roman, freshman Moriah Harris, sophomore Sarah Andrews and junior Meghan Cuda all recording multi-hit games in the victory. Harris had two doubled for the Blue and Gold while scoring twice and knocking two runs in, while Kennery added two RBI as well.
In the second game, Canisius earned its first sweep of Fairfield since 2010, with a 4-1 victory. Canisius took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the third and then added single-runs in the fourth and fifth. In the third, Kennery drove in both runs with a single and then Canisius took a 3-0 lead in the fourth on the power of a solo homer by sophomore Lindsey Silfer, her team-leading fourth home run of the season. Mackie went the distance and allowed just one run on eight hits to go with three walks and three strikeouts as she earned her fifth victory of the year for the Griffs.
Canisius will close out its first "weekend" of MAAC games Monday, when the team plays at Iona. Game one of the league twinbill is set for 12 p.m., in New Rochelle, N.Y.
Game Notes: This was the 68th and 69th all-time meeting between Canisius and Fairfield, with the Griffs leading the series 38-31… The Griffs have defeated the Stags in three-straight games, dating back to last season… Canisius imporved to 4-2 this season in one-run games… Kennery now has 106 career RBI, which ranks sixth in program history… The home run for Silfer was the sixth of her career… Sophomore Samantha Sharkey has now reached base safely in 10-straight games after getting a hit in game one and earning a walk in game two… Mackie is the 12th different pitcher in program history to have two saves in one season.
