Freshman Vivi Vargas' two home runs and six RBI led the Canisius softball team to a doubleheader sweep of Mercyhurst Tuesday afternoon at the Demske Sports Complex. The Golden Griffins took game one 10-0 in five innings before defeating the Lakers 9-0 in five innings in the nightcap.
Canisius improved to 9-12 on the year with the pair of wins, while Mercyhurst fell to 0-13 on the season.
GAME ONE RECAP
The Griffs got off to a quick start, plating three runs in the bottom of the first frame. Sophomore Ella Johel got things rolling with a triple that allowed senior Alyssa Cloutier to score. Senior Rosie Gomez followed that with an RBI-single to plate Johel and then junior Emily Ilano capped off the inning with a double that pushed sophomore Rebecca Hai across the plate.
Johel tallied her second RBI of the contest in the bottom of the second, driving in Vargas to extend the Canisius lead to 4-0. Vargas put the game out of reach in the home-half of third after she ripped her first career home run, a three-run shot over the fence in left-center to give the Blue and Gold a 7-0 lead.
Gomez and junior Bailey Alatorre added three insurance runs in the bottom of the fourth to give the Griffs to mercy-rule victory.
Sophomore Liv Herrington got the start in the circle for Canisius and she earned her first career win after she allowed just one hit and fanned three in 3.0 innings of work. Freshman Mikaila Obenrader came in for relief to pitch the final two innings, and also allowed just one hit.
GAME TWO RECAP
Canisius once again scored first with Gomez contributing an RBI-single to score freshman Tabitha von Kolen in the bottom of the first.
The Griffs took control of the game in the third inning, scoring six runs to make the score 7-0 in favor of the home team. Johel scored on a Cara Edwards fielder's choice sac-bunt, followed by Hai coming in to score on a wild pitch. Edwards came home on an Alatorre steal attempt, and then Vargas capped off the rally with her three-run homer of the afternoon.
Johel and junior Sofia Escoto tacked on two more runs for insurance in the bottom of the fourth to lead the Blue and Gold to their mercy-rule victory of the season.
Sophomore Olivia Manchester got the start in the circle in the nightcap and earned her team-leading sixth win of the year after giving up two hits to go with six strikeouts in 5.0 innings of work.
GAME NOTES
• Tuesday (March 18) marked the earliest home opener in program history.
• The Griffs are now 4-0 all-time against Mercyhurst. Today's games marked the first time the two schools met in softball since May 3, 1990.
• Including last season's 6-0 win over Mount St. Mary's, the Griffs have not allowed a run in each of their last two home openers.
• Dating back to last season's 2-0 win over Buffalo, Canisius has not allowed a run at home in three-straight games.
• The two wins today improved Canisius' win streak to three straight. This is the Griffs' second three-game win streak of the season, after having just three three-game win streaks a season ago.
• As a team, the Griffs racked up 10 stolen bases in the two games against Mercyhurst. Canisius has stolen multiple bases in 12 games this year.
• Vargas hit her first collegiate home run and was the first freshman to hit home runs in back-to-back games since Hannah Catallo-Stooks (4/23/19 vs St. Bonaventure)
• Johel's three hits in the game one victory gives her a three hits in a team-high four games this season, and her hit in game two extended her hit streak to a season-long four games.
• Herrington set a career-high with three strikeouts in game one
• Alatorre has now reached base safely in 16 consecutive games, dating back to Feb. 16 against IU Indy.
• Canisius' six runs in the third inning of game two tied a season for runs in an inning (3/9/25 vs Lafayette)
• Herrington matched a career-high with three strikeouts in the day's first game.
• Manchester matched a career-high with six strikeouts in the game two victory. She also fanned six batters in the team's win over Loyola Chicago Feb. 23.
UP NEXT
Canisius will return to action on Thursday afternoon when the team plays host to long-time rival St. Bonaventure in a non-conference doublheader at the Demske Sports Complex. The first game of the twinbill is set for 1 p.m.
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