Softball Gets Swept By Ball State and Eastern Kentucky

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Canisius junior Gianna Fazzolari went 1-for-3 with a two-run homer and three RBI, but it was not enough for the Golden Griffins, as the softball team fell to Ball State 7-3 in the first of two non-league games Saturday evening on the second day of the EKU Colonel Classic in Richmond, Ky. In the nightcap, the Blue and Gold fell to host Eastern Kentucky by the score of 9-1 in five innings.

Canisius is now 3-7 on the season, while Ball State improved to 7-10 with its win over Canisius. The host Colonels moved to 12-4 with the victory.

GAME ONE RECAP
Ball State struck first in the bottom of the first inning with a single run, but Canisius answered in the top-half of the third to knot the game at 1-1. Fazzolari drove in the Blue and Gold's first run of the game with an RBI-ground out to second base, which allowed senior Christie McGee-Ross to cross the dish. The score did not remain tied for long, however, as Ball State's Maia Pietzrak drove in the eventual game-winning run with a sac-fly to center in the bottom of the third to five the Cardinals a 2-1 lead.

Ball State broke the game open with a three-run fifth inning, but Canisius answered with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth thanks to a two-run homer off Fazzolari's bat - her second home run of the season - which made the score 5-3 in favor of Ball State. The Cardinals added a pair of insurance runs in the sixth to close out the game's scoring.

Junior Kate Wiggins got the start for the Griffs in the circle and took the loss after she went 5.0 innings where she allowed five runs, two earned, on seven hits to go with a strikeout and a walk. She was relieved by Olivia Manchester, who pitched an inning where she allowed two runs on three hits while fanning a batter.

Canisius tallied six hits on the day off Ball State pitcher Bridie Murphy, who went the distance and fanned six while walking four. Madysen Burkey had two hits for the Blue and Gold, while Sydney Costan went 1-for-2 with a double, her second of the season, in the loss.

GAME TWO RECAP
Host Eastern Kentucky scored twice in the first and then added a single run in the third and never looked back, as the Colonels posted a 9-1 five-inning mercy-rule win over the Griffs in Canisius' second game of the day.

Trailing 3-0 in the top-half of the fifth, Canisius trimmed the Eastern Kentucky lead to 3-1 after Fazzolario drove in McGee-Ross with a ground-out to second base. However, the Colonels ended the Griffs' thoughts at a comeback with a six-run fifth inning that saw Eastern Kentucky send eight batters to the plate.

Senior Megan Giese started the game in the circle for the Blue and Gold and took the loss after she allowed eight runs on seven hits in 4.0 innings of work. Giese added five strikeouts before being relieved by Toria Kover, who threw 0.1 innings and allowed one run on two hits.

Eastern Kentucky starter Tayteum Vigansky picked up her third win of the season after she went the distance and gave up just four hits in the winning effort. McGee-Ross and Emily Ilano each had a double in the game, while Giese and Hanna Hagerman recorded Canisius' other two hits.

GAME NOTES
• Canisius is now 1-4 all-time against Ball State, and the Griffs are 3-2 in series history against Eastern Kentucky.
• With her five strikeouts in game two, Giese reached the 500-career strikeout milestone.
• Burkey's two hits in the Ball State game marked her first multi-hit performance.
• Sophomore Natalie Quonce made her season debut against Ball State.

UP NEXT
Canisius will close out its weekend at the EKU Colonel Classic on Sunday when the Griffs play the Purdue Fort Wayne. Game time is set for 10 a.m.

For complete coverage of Canisius softball, please follow @GriffsSoftball on Instagram and X.

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Players Mentioned

#4 Sydney Costan: INF; 5' 6"; Junior; R/R

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

#17 Megan Giese: P/INF; 5' 7"; Junior; R/R

#26 Hanna Hagerman: C/INF; 5' 9"; Sophomore; R/R

#6 Emily Ilano: INF; 5' 8"; Sophomore; R/R

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

#8 Kate Wiggins: P; 5' 5"; Sophomore; R/R

#9 Natalie Quonce: C/UTL; 5' 8"; Freshman; R/R

#1 Madysen Burkey: OF; 5' 4"; Freshman; R/L

#28 Olivia Manchester: P; 5' 6"; Freshman; L/L

Players Mentioned

#4 Sydney Costan
: 5' 6"; Junior; R/R
: INF

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

#17 Megan Giese
: 5' 7"; Junior; R/R
: P/INF

#26 Hanna Hagerman
: 5' 9"; Sophomore; R/R
: C/INF

#6 Emily Ilano
: 5' 8"; Sophomore; R/R
: INF

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

#8 Kate Wiggins
: 5' 5"; Sophomore; R/R
: P

#9 Natalie Quonce
: 5' 8"; Freshman; R/R
: C/UTL

#1 Madysen Burkey
: 5' 4"; Freshman; R/L
: OF

#28 Olivia Manchester
: 5' 6"; Freshman; L/L
: P