Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Canisius University Athletics

#Griffs The Official Home of the Canisius University Golden Griffins | #Griffs
Alexis Churchill celebrating a strikeout on April 8, 2023 vs Siena at the Demske Sports Complex in Buffalo, N.Y.
Ken Morey
7
Winner Siena SIE 20-9, 5-0 MAAC
6
Canisius CAN 13-13, 3-2 MAAC
Winner
Siena SIE
20-9, 5-0 MAAC
7
Final
6
Canisius CAN
13-13, 3-2 MAAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Siena SIE 0 0 0 0 2 0 5 7 11 1
Canisius CAN 0 2 0 2 1 1 0 6 11 1

W: Eimont, Alissa (5-3) L: Giese, Megan (8-6)

3
Siena SIE 20-10, 5-1 MAAC
6
Winner Canisius CAN 14-13, 4-2 MAAC
Siena SIE
20-10, 5-1 MAAC
3
Final
6
Canisius CAN
14-13, 4-2 MAAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Siena SIE 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 9 2
Canisius CAN 1 0 0 3 1 1 X 6 14 1

W: Churchill, Alexis (3-1) L: Fitzmaurice, Ava (8-4)

Game Recap: Softball |

Softball Splits Series with Siena

Canisius graduate student Alexis Churchill went the distance, allowing three runs on nine hits, and the Golden Griffins used a three-run fourth inning to secure a 6-3 win in the nightcap to split a MAAC softball doubleheader against Siena Saturday evening at the Demske Sports Complex.
 
Canisius (14-13, 4-2 MAAC) trailed 3-1 heading into the home-half of the fourth in the second game before senior Sophia Recrosio knotted the game at 3-3 with a two-run triple down the right field line. Moments later, sophomore Rosie Gomez put the home team ahead for good with an RBI-single to center, allowing fellow sophomore Saige Alfaro to score from third base.
 
Siena (20-10, 5-1 MAAC) took the opening game of the league twinbill after the Saints scored five runs in the top of the seventh to earn a 7-6 victory.
 
Game One Recap
Canisius led 4-0 after four innings and took a 5-2 lead in the home-half of the fifth thanks to an RBI-single off the bat of junior Sydney Costan. The Griffs tacked on a sixth run in the sixth inning after Saige Alfaro hit a solo homer over the fence in right, her first career home run. However, Siena would not go away, as the Saints scored five times in the top-half of the seventh to take a 7-6 lead.
 
In that seventh inning, Siena's Jocelyn Ulrich got the rally started for the Saints with a solo homer to straight-away center. Trailing 6-3, Siena got two runners on with back-to-back hits, but the Griffs were able to get the second out of the frame moments later on a fielder's choice where the Blue and Gold was able to get the lead-runner out at third. Siena eventually took the lead after racking up three-straight hits with two outs, with the key hit coming from Siena's Ava Fitzmaurice, who lined a triple to centerfield that pushed two runs across the plate, giving the visiting team the 7-6 advantage.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, Canisius had the tying run at second base with two outs. Recrosio singled to right to push pinch runner Gabi Farris to third, but she would end up being caught in a run-down between third base and home plate, and the Saints defense was able to chase her down to end the contest.
 
Siena's Alissa Eimont earned the win in the circle for the Saints after she allowed six runs, all earned, on 11 hits to go with four strikeouts and four walks. Canisius starter Megan Giese was the tough-luck loser in the circle for the Blue and Gold after she allowed seven runs on 11 hits. She recorded 12 strikeouts in the losing effort and walked just one, as her record fell to 8-6 on the year.
 
Saige Alfaro went 2-for-3 with a double, a homer and two RBI in the first game, while junior Christie McGee-Ross also added two hits and two runs batted in. Costan recorded a career-high three hits in the day's first game and scored twice, while Recrosio also had a pair of hits in the losing cause as well.
 
Game Two Recap
Churchill picked up her third win of the season in the circle after she went the distance and fanned seven in Canisius' 6-3 victory. The Griffs trailed 3-1 heading into the bottom of the fourth before Recrosio's two-run triple and Gomez's RBI base knock to center.
 
Canisius tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth and the six innings. In the fifth, junior Destiny Falquez battled through a 13-pitch at-bat to record her third homer of the season, which ties her for the team lead with both Gomez and Giese. In the sixth, freshman Rylee Alfaro roped a base hit to right to push teammate Alyssa Cloutier across the plate, giving the Blue and Gold a 6-3 lead. In the seventh, Churchill allowed a one-out double but buckled down and retired the last two Siena batters to seal the victory.
 
Five different Griffs had multi-hit performances in the game two win, as Canisius racked up 14 hits off a pair of Siena hurlers. Rylee Alfaro had three hits to lead the way for the Blue and Gold, her second multi-hit game of the season. Recrosio drove in a pair of runs in the victory, while Saige Alfaro stole a pair of bases in the win.
 
Game Notes
• The Griffs are now 27-6 all-time against Siena at the Demske Sports Complex.
• Canisius' 4-2 record through the first six MAAC games of the season is the team's best league start since 2015, when the Blue and Gold started conference play with an 6-0 record.
• As a team, Canisius has recorded 10-or more hits in four of the team's last five contests, dating back to March 22, vs. Syracuse.
• Canisius has now hit a home run in six of the last eight contests, dating back to the 2023 home opener against Syracuse.
• Giese's 12 strikeouts in game one stand as a season-high for the Orchard Park, N.Y., native. That serves as her ninth career double-digit strikeout game, and eighth against a MAAC opponent.
• After fanning 11 against Quinnipiac on Monday, Giese has now recorded back-to-back double-digit strikeout games for the third time in her career. She ranks 11th in school history with her 345 career strikeouts.
• Two of Churchill's three wins this season have been complete-game efforts. She has also fanned six-or more batters in back-to-back outings.
• Saige Alfaro's two stolen bases in the second game gives her multiple steals in three different contests this season.
 
Up Next
Canisius will travel south to play long-time rival St. Bonaventure in non-league action on Tuesday, April 11. The first game of the non-conference doubleheader is set to start at 2 p.m., and the contests will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
 
For complete coverage of Canisius softball, please follow @griffssoftball on Instagram and Twitter.
Print Friendly Version