Senior Gianna Fazzolari hit two home runs to set the school record for career home runs, part of a nine-RBI performance to help lead Canisius to a doubleheader sweep of Saint Peter's, 13-1 (5) and 9-8 (8), in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference softball play Saturday at the Demske Sports Complex.
The Golden Griffins improved to 10-12 overall and 5-2 in league play with the twinbill sweep. The Peacocks, meanwhile, dropped to 12-17 and 2-3 in conference play.
GAME ONE RECAP
Canisius took control of game one in the first inning, using six hits, two walks and one error to build a 7-0 lead. A three-run home run from Fazzolari accounted for the first three runs of the frame while run-scoring singles from junior Alyssa Cloutier, senior Christie McGee-Ross and sophomore Madysen Burkey all singled to give Canisius the other four runs.
Saint Peter's was able to get one run back in the top of the second when Zailees Seda reached on an error to bring home Kaylee Lacom to make it a 7-1 contest.Â
Cloutier singled once again in the bottom of the third to score sophomore Morgan Cook and reinstate the Griffs seven-run lead.
Canisius put the game out of reach in the bottom of the fourth as it plated five runs to build a 13-1 advantage. A sacrifice fly from sophomore Sofia Escoto brought home the first run of the frame before McGee-Ross hit a grand slam to give the Griffs' a 12-run lead and evoke the eight-run mercy rule.Â
Senior Megan Giese got the start in the circle for the Griffs, allowing just two hits and one run over five innings of work while striking out six.
Nine Griffs recorded hits with McGee-Ross, Cook, Cloutier, and junior Rosie Gomez all finishing with multi-hit games.
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GAME TWO RECAP
Canisius took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning as Fazzolari singled to score Burkey and McGee-Ross.
The Peacocks answered back with five runs in the top of the fourth to grab a 5-2 lead. A bases-loaded double from Dakota Pitts registered the first three runs of the frame before Jess Forte closed out the scoring in the frame with a two-run home run.Â
Saint Peter's would tack on one more run in the sixth with a homer from Pitts.
A solo shot off the bat of Pitts in the the top of the sixth extended the Peacocks lead to four, where it remained until the bottom of the seventh, when Canisius plated four runs to knot the score and send the game to extra innings.Â
Fazzolari tallied the first two runs of the frame with a long ball that established the school record for career home runs before a double from Cook scored junior Emily Ilano and freshman Rebecca Hai.
Saint Peter's regained the lead in the top of the eighth as a single by Sophie Wilso and an error brought home two runs and gave the Peacocks an 8-6 lead.Â
The Griffs battled back in the home half of the eighth, using a solo home run from Giese to pull within one before Fazzolari came through once again, hitting a one-out single up the middle to score two runs and give Canisius the 9-8 victory.Â
Junior Kate Wiggins got the start in the circle and threw 3.2 innings, allowing five runs on three hits with four strikeouts. Freshman Olivia Herrington made her collegiate debut in relief of Wiggins, pitching 3.1 innings and surrendering one run on two hits with one strikeout. Giese would come in and get her second win of the day, pitching the eighth inning and striking out two.
Eight Golden Griffins found their way into the hit column in the nightcap, with Fazzolari and Cook both getting three hits apiece.
GAME NOTES
• Canisius is now 60-13 all-time against Saint Peter's, and having won the last five contests against the Peacocks.
• Fazzolari now has 25 home runs in her career, surpassing former Canisius slugger Lauren Castro (2016-20) for the most in program history.
• Fazzolari's nine RBI on the day now puts her one away from matching Jody Tessone (1993-96) for second place on the program's career RBI list (125).Â
• Ilano has gotten on base safely in the last 11 games.
• Cook recorded the first three-hit game of her career and went a combined 5-for-5 on the day.
• Herrington made her Canisius and collegiate debut with her relief appearance in the nightcap.Â
• This is the Griffs second walk-off win of the season, with both coming in eight innings.
UP NEXT
Canisius wraps up the three-game series against Saint Peter's on Sunday with first pitch being at noon.
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