Canisius softball lost a pair of games on the first day of the Pirate Invitational, dropping the first game of the day 8-2 to Boston College, before falling 8-0 in five innings in the nightcap to host East Carolina.

Canisius fell to 2-7 on the season, while Boston College improved to 7-5 on the year. East Carolina is 7-4 after defeating the Golden Griffins.

GAME 1
After Boston College scored a run in the top of the first, Canisius answered in its half of the inning with a sacrifice fly by sophomore Ella Johel that allowed senior Alyssa Cloutier to score and knot the game at 1-1. The Eagles answered quickly and jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the top of the second with a four-run inning that saw BC send eight batters to the plate.  

Canisius cut into the Boston College lead to 5-2 in the bottom half of the fifth after freshman Tabitha von Kolen knocked in junior Morgan Cook with an infield single. After Johel drew a walk to load the bases, Boston College brought in relief pitcher Bailey Kendziorski, who promptly struck out the next two Canisius hitters to end the threat for the Blue and Gold. Boston College ended up tacking on three insurance runs in the top-half of the seventh to secure the win at 8-2.

Boston College starting pitcher Shannon MacLeod earned the win in the circle for the Eagles after she allowed two runs on four hits while walking three and striking out two in 4.1 innings of work. Kendziorski earned the save after she threw 2.2 scoreless relief and struck out three. Canisius starter Toria Kover took the loss in the circle after she gave up four runs on four hits in 1.1 innings.

von Kolen had two of the Griffs' four hits in the loss. Cloutier and junior Natalie Quonce had the other two hits for the Blue and Gold.

GAME 2
ECU pitcher Taylor Apple tossed her second career no-hitter and teammate Morgan Johnson went 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBI as the host Pirates defeated the Griffs 8-0 in five innings in the final game on the first day of the ECU Invitational.

Johnson's three-run home run was part of a five-run second inning for the Pirates, who also scored twice in the twice in the third and then once in the home-half of the fifth to end the game early.

Canisius junior Bailey Alatorre was the Griffs' lone base runner in the game, as she drew a two-out walk in the top of the second. 

Sophomore Liv Herrington got the start in the for Canisius and took the loss after she allowed eight runs on 15 hits.

GAME NOTES
• Canisius is now 1-2 all time against Boston College. The Griffs and the Eagles met for the first time since the 1991 season.
• Canisius met East Carolina for the 11th time in school history, and for the first time since 2018. The Pirates leas the series, 7-4.
• von Kolen recorded her second multi-hit game of the season with the two hits in the first game.
• Johel has reached base safely in seven of the team's first nine games.
• Quonce has reached base in all six games that she has played in this year.

UP NEXT
Canisius will wrap up the Pirate Invitational on Sunday when the team takes on Loyola Chicago at 9 a.m.

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