POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – Quinnipiac scored a pair of unearned runs late in the game and the Bobcats' pitching duo of Sydney Robey and Casey Herzog combined to leave nine Canisius runners on base as sixth-seeded Quinnipiac defeated the third-seeded Golden Griffins 2-0 in the first game of the 2016 MAAC Softball Championship Wednesday morning at Gartland Field in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
The win moves Quinnipiac to 27-27 on the year and puts the Bobcats in a winner's bracket game against No. 2 seed Manhattan at 9 a.m., Thursday morning. Canisius saw its record move to 22-31 overall, and the Griffs will wait to play an elimination game Thursday at 4:30 p.m., against an opponent to be determined.
After four scoreless innings, Quinnipiac put a run on the board in the top-half of the fifth when pinch-runner Kat Vitale scored from third on an infield error by Canisius. The Bobcats added another run on the board in the top of the sixth thanks to a ground-rule double to center by Erin Larsen which allowed Quinnipiac's Dani Edmands to score from first base. Quinnipiac had five hits in the win, with Laresen and Miranda Magana each registering doubles.
Canisius had chances to score in numerous innings, but the Blue and Gold couldn't push a run across the plate. In the third inning, the Griffs had the bases loaded with two outs, but Quinnipiac right fielder Abby Johnson made a diving catch in foul territory to end that scoring threat. The Griffs left at least one runner on base in six of the game's seven innings.
"We just didn't get timely hits today," Canisius head coach Kim Griffin said. "We hit the ball hard, and we had runners on base, but we just didn't come through in the clutch. The important thing to remember is that this tournament is double-elimination, so if someone is going to win it out of the loser's bracket, why not us?"
Junior Jessica Berzins had two hits on the day for Canisius, while fellow junior Lindsey Silfer had two hits as well, including a double. Silfer's two hits in the losing effort gives her 70 for the 2016 season, which ties the program record for hits in a year. Former Griffs Jenny Maheu and Katie Miranto each had 70 hits for Canisius during the 2008 season. Seniors Alexis Roman and Meghan Cuda and sophomore Moriah Harris also recorded hits for Canisius in the loss.
Robey earned the win in the circle after she gave up seven hits and fanned eight in 6.1 innings of work. Herzog came on in relief of Robey with two Canisius runners on and one out in the seventh. She got a groundout and a strikeout to earn her second save of the season. Canisius sophomore Madi Weathers took the loss for the Griffs after she allowed one run, an unearned run, on three hits with three walks in five innings of action.
