Softball Earns Split to Open 2020 Campaign

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 The Canisius softball team earned a split to begin the 2020 campaign after falling to Youngstown State, 5-1, and defeating host Gardner-Webb, 9-5, on the first day of competition at the Gardner-Webb University Tournament. The Golden Griffins moved to 1-1 on the season while the Penguins got off to a 2-0 start on the campaign and the Runnin' Bulldogs fell to 0-2.

GAME 1
Youngstown State took an early 1-0 lead after a double by Maddi Lusk brought Yazmine Romero home in the first inning. Canisius was able to tie the game in the bottom of the third when redshirt senior Lauren Castro doubled into left field, allowing senior Morgan Altman to score. The Penguins answered right back in the fourth when Romero drove in her team's second run on a single.

Down entering the last inning, the Griffs ran into trouble in the top of the seventh when an error set off a domino effect, giving the Penguins three unanswered runs with the bases loaded.

Canisius earned three hits in game one, as both junior Erin Hufford and senior Gianna Degaltini singled in addition to Castro's double.

Emily Nicosia took the loss for the Griffs, going six innings and allowing two runs on six hits. Shealyn Ollison took over in the seventh, allowing three runs (one earned) on one hit and four walks.

GAME 2
In a game of offensive power, the Griffs were behind, 2-0, through three innings after host Gardner-Webb tallied runs in both the second and third frames. Finally, in the top half of the fourth, Degaltini reached first on a fielder's choice bunt with the bases loaded to put Canisius on the board. The Blue and Gold were then able to take a 3-2 lead when Lindsi Dennis hit an two-RBI single into center field, bringing both Castro and Altman across the plate.
Gardner-Webb quickly regained momentum thanks to a game-tying solo homer by Autumn Owen in the fifth. The Runnin' Bulldogs added another run in the fifth to go ahead, 4-3, and tacked on an insurance run in the sixth, taking a 5-3 lead into the seventh.

Canisius mounted a rally in the seventh, as Castro began the comeback with her second RBI-double of the day to bring Hufford in, and Altman followed with a bunt single that scored junior Kara Paradowski to tie the game. The Griffs then retook the lead with a two-RBI single off the bat of Degaltini and piled on two more runs in the top of the seventh before Castro shut the down Gardner-Webb in the bottom of the inning to secure the Griffs' first victory of the season.

Dennis and Barnett each went 2-for-4 against the Runnin' Bulldogs, while Castro and Altman both recorded a hit. Paradowski also racked up a pair of stolen bases in the win.

Sophomore Alexis Churchill earned the start for the Griffs in the circle, going four innings and allowing four runs on six hits with three strikeouts. Castro claimed the win for the Griffs with 2 punch-outs and one unearned run on three hits over three innings of relief duty.

Quote for Head Coach Kim Griffin:
"It was a great team win (in game two). Alexis Churchill threw really well and Lauren did a great job coming on in relief. We had some shaky innings on defense, but we came up big when we needed to. Timely hitting from Castro, Dennis and Barnett, as well as a perfectly executed squeeze by Altman, were big keys to the win."

UP NEXT
Canisius will face Maryland Eastern Shore at 10 a.m., followed by a rematch with Gardner-Webb at 2 p.m. to complete the second day of the Gardner-Webb University Tournament.

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Players Mentioned

#20 Morgan Altman: OF; 5' 9"; Senior

#33 Lauren Castro: P/UTL; 5' 5"; Redshirt Senior

#23 Alexis Churchill: P; 5' 4"; Sophomore

#10 Gianna Degaltini: IF; 5' 4"; Senior

#24 Lindsi Dennis: INF; 5' 6"; Junior

#1 Erin Hufford: OF/1B; 5' 6"; Junior

#18 Emily Nicosia: P; 5' 6"; Junior

#22 Shealyn Ollison: P; 5' 4"; Redshirt Sophomore

#3 Kara Paradowski: OF; 5' 6"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#20 Morgan Altman
: 5' 9"; Senior
: OF

#33 Lauren Castro
: 5' 5"; Redshirt Senior
: P/UTL

#23 Alexis Churchill
: 5' 4"; Sophomore
: P

#10 Gianna Degaltini
: 5' 4"; Senior
: IF

#24 Lindsi Dennis
: 5' 6"; Junior
: INF

#1 Erin Hufford
: 5' 6"; Junior
: OF/1B

#18 Emily Nicosia
: 5' 6"; Junior
: P

#22 Shealyn Ollison
: 5' 4"; Redshirt Sophomore
: P

#3 Kara Paradowski
: 5' 6"; Junior
: OF