A rally in the seventh inning helped lead the Canisius softball team to a 3-1 win over Quinnipiac Friday afternoon in the second game of a MAAC doubleheader in Hamden, Conn. The win, which moved the Golden Griffins to 21-29 overall and 12-6 in MAAC play, secured the team's berth into next weekend's MAAC Softball Championship tournament, which will be held at the site of the conference's regular-season champion.
After Canisius lost the first game of the twinbill 2-1, the host Bobcats (22-27, 7-9 MAAC) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the home-half of the first. That lead held-up through six innings of play before the Blue and Gold scored three times in the top-half of the seventh, highlighted by a two-run double off the bat of freshman catcher Destiny Holani. The win, Canisius' fifth MAAC victory in its last six outings, secured the team's trip to the conference's postseason event for the second-straight year.
Junior Lindsey Silfer had three hits on the day, including a double in the game two victory, while senior Meghan Cuda had two hits and scored a run for the Blue and Gold in the doubleheader. Freshman Denver Keller also had two hits on the day, including a double in the day's first game, while driving in a run and scoring once.
Game One – Quinnipiac 2, Canisius 1
The host Bobcats ended Canisius' four-game winning streak with a 2-1, walk-off win in game one of the MAAC doubleheader. Quinnipiac loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh and eventually won the game after senior Sydney Robey earned a bases loaded walk with two outs to force home the winning run.
After playing four scoreless innings, Canisius took a 1-0 lead in the top-half of the fifth after senior Alexis Roman drove in a run with a base hit that pushed teammate Samantha Sharkey across the plate. Quinnipiac quickly tied the game at 1-1 in the home-half of the fifth on an RBI-double to the gap in right-center off the bat of freshman Sarah Heimbach.
In the seventh, Canisius had a runner at third with one out, but the Griffs were unable to score. In the bottom of the seventh, Quinnipiac had two runners on with one out before the game was halted due to heavy rain. Out of the rain delay, Quinnipiac's Keilani Finley was hit-by-pitch to load the bases, and then Robey battled back from a 2-1 count to earn a base-on-balls to force in the winning run.
Canisius starter Madi Weathers took the loss in the circle after she allowed two runs on six hits while walking four and striking out four in 6.2 innings of work. Robey picked up the win for the Bobcats after she gave up just one run on seven hits while striking out four. Canisius ended the game by leaving five runners on base.
Game Two – Canisius 3, Quinnipiac 1
Trailing 1-0 in the seventh, the Griffs scored three times to earn the win and split the doubleheader with Quinnipiac. After the Bobcats scored in the bottom of the first, Canisius knotted the game at 1-1 when Keller ripped an RBI-single to center that allowed Silfer to score from third. Holani followed Keller with her two-run double to the gap in right-center that pushed Cuda and Keller across the plate for the 3-1 advantage. In the seventh, Canisius sophomore Erika Mackie struck out three Quinnipiac batters to secure the win and the team's trip to the league's postseason event.
Mackie moved her record to 10-12 on the year after she allowed just one run on five hits to go with five strikeouts and two walks. Quinnipiac's Casey Herzog was given the loss after she gave up three runs on five hits while fanning nine.
Canisius will close out the 2016 regular season on Saturday when the team plays a pair of games at Marist. Game one of the MAAC doubleheader is set to start at noon.
