Softball Closes Out Regular Season Versus Rider and Mount St. Mary’s

Games 38-39
Canisius (25-13-1, 14-2 MAAC) vs Rider (16-30, 6-10 MAAC) and Mount St. Mary's (30-15, 13-3 MAAC)
Dates: Friday, May 5 | Saturday, May 6
Times: 12:00/2:30 p.m. | 12:00/2:30 p.m.
Location: Buffalo, N.Y. | Demske Sports Complex
Broadcast: ESPN+/ESPN3
Live Stats: Through gogriffs.com
Twitter: @GriffsSoftball | #Griffs | #MAACSoftball

• First Pitch
The Canisius softball team wraps up the 2023 regular season when it hosts Rider and conference newcomer Mount St. Mary's Friday and Saturday at the Demske Sports Complex. First pitch both days are scheduled for noon with Friday being aired on ESPN+ and Saturday's games being televised on ESPN3.

• Last Time Out
The Griffs improved to 14-2 in league play after sweeping longtime rival Niagara Monday afternoon. Canisius earned a five-inning mercy rule win in the first game, posting a 13-2 score before blanking the Purple Eagles in game two, 7-0. The Blue and Gold finished the season going 9-1 on the road against league opponents, besting last year's 8-2 record.

Canisius slugged five home runs on the day, including tying a season-high with four long balls in game one, which also included a season-high in runs scored.

Junior Gianna Fazzolari left the yard in both contests, recording three hits and three RBI in both games as well.

Sisters Saige Alfaro and Rylee Alfaro each slugged a homer in the win as Rylee hit a grand slam in the third while Saige hit a solo shot in the fourth.

Sophomore Rosie Gomez hit the fourth shot of the game for Canisius, a solo blast in the fifth.

• Series Against the Broncs and Mountaineers
Canisius and Rider will play each other for the 60th and 61st time in program history on Friday.

The Griffs hold a 41-18 edge in the series and have won 23 of the 29 contests at home.

The Blue and Gold will face Mount St. Mary's for the first time since it joined the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference July 1. The two teams have previously played one another eight times in non-conference action, with Canisius holding a close 5-3 edge in the series.

The Griffs have one win and one loss against The Mount at the Demske Sports Complex, earning a 1-0 win in 10 innings before falling 8-6 in eight frames on April 5, 2012.

• Moving Up the Record Book
Fazzolari's two homers on Monday gives her 16 long balls for her career, which ties her with Katie Lancellotti (2009-12) for the fourth-most in program history.

Junior Christie McGee-Ross also drove up the charts in the record book, becoming the third different player to steal at least 30 bags in a season after tying her career high with four stolen bags in game one. McGee-Ross joins Lauren Hope and Kara Paradowski on the list of 30 steals in a season.

• Churchill is Cruising in MAAC Play
Graduate Alexis Churchill earned her sixth conference victory in as many starts, blanking Niagara in game two. Churchill took a perfect game into the fifth, losing it with one out in the frame.

Churchill, who threw her second complete game shutout in league play, has lowered her earned run average against MAAC opponents to 2.02. The southpaw has thrown 41.2 innings with a 1.07 WHIP in the seven appearances.

For complete coverage of Canisius softball, please follow @griffssoftball on Instagram and Twitter.

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Players Mentioned

#15 Saige Alfaro: INF; 5' 6"; Sophomore; L/R

#23 Alexis Churchill: P; 5' 9"; Graduate Student; R/L

#21 Gianna Fazzolari: C/INF; 5' 6"; Junior; R/R

#42 Rosie Gomez: INF; 5' 9"; Sophomore; R/R

#5 Christie McGee-Ross: OF; 5' 8"; Junior; L/R

#77 Rylee Alfaro: P/INF; 5' 8"; Freshman; R/R

Players Mentioned

#15 Saige Alfaro
: 5' 6"; Sophomore; L/R
: INF

#23 Alexis Churchill
: 5' 9"; Graduate Student; R/L
: P

#21 Gianna Fazzolari
: 5' 6"; Junior; R/R
: C/INF

#42 Rosie Gomez
: 5' 9"; Sophomore; R/R
: INF

#5 Christie McGee-Ross
: 5' 8"; Junior; L/R
: OF

#77 Rylee Alfaro
: 5' 8"; Freshman; R/R
: P/INF