Softball drops a pair to Sage in non conference action

Courtesy of Sage Sports Information

Troy, NY– The MCLA Softball team took on the Sage Gators today in non conference action. The Trailblazers were the home teams as the contests were moved to Sage due to the field conditions at MCLA from the harsh winter. Sage won the first game 4-0 and in a darkness shortened second game, won the nightcap, 12-5 in six innings. Sage improves to 14-12, while MCLA drops to 7-15.

Game 1:

Sage's senior catcher Kristen Beikirch (Brockport, NY/Brockport) walked to open the game and was able to make the most of a pair of wild pitches and scored the team's first run of the day. In the second inning, sophomoreKatie Rimawi (Ballston Spa, NY/Ballston Spa) doubled to left center field and moved to third when junior Katie Kovage (Hoosick Falls, NY/Hoosick Falls Central) grounded out. Rimawi scored on a wild pitch and helped Sage to a 2-0 lead through two innings.

Senior Samantha Woitkoski (Troy, NY/Lansingburgh) had an RBI single in the fourth inning and drove in Rimawi, while Rimawi added an RBI single in the fifth to give Sage a 4-0 lead in the fifth.

MCLA was held hitless until the fifth inning when junior Sierra Bailey (Hoosick Falls, NY/Hoosick Falls) broke up Kovage's no-hit bid. SeniorAmanda Meczywor (Adams, MA/Hossac Valley) added hit for the Trailblazers in the sixth for the team's two hits in the action.

Kovage struck out two and walked three in earning the complete game shutout win as she is now 6-4. Kovage now has 27 career wins and is tied for the No. 2 spot in career victories with Kim Fredenburgh.

Rimawi was 2-2 at the plate with a pair of runs scored, a double and an RBI, while adding a stolen base for the Gators.

MCLA's junior Rachel Quackenbush (Hoosick Falls, NY/Hoosick Falls)took the loss after 6.2 innings of work with nine strikeouts as she allowed three earned runs off six hits. She dropped to 5-6 after the game and was relieved by sophomore Katelyn Henault (West Warwick, RI/West Warwick) who worked one third of an inning.

Game 2

Sage tallied one run in the top of the first, but MCLA answered right back with three runs in the bottom of the first as the Trailblazers made the most of some good hits and a key bunt.

Sage tacked on four runs in the top of the fourth inning to take a 6-3 lead before MCLA added a pair in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Beikirck, Woitkoski, and junior Morgan Dunn (Cohoes, NY/Cohoes) all added RBI's in the inning. MCLA tacked on a pair in the bottom half of the inning as they made the most of some untimely wild pitches by Sage's sophomore Lindsay Brace (Moriah, NY/Moriah Central). Junior Jennifer Sicinski (Shelton, VT/Shelton) had an RBI in the inning and after four innings Sage had a 6-5 lead.

Rimawi had a solo home run in the top of the fifth for the Gators to give Sage a 7-5 lead and the Sage pitching staff held MCLA scoreless in the bottom of the fifth inning. Sage tacked on five runs in the top of the sixth inning as they racked up seven hits and got a two RBI single from freshman Alexa Silk (Freehold, NY/Greenville) as well as RBI singles from freshman Rachael Lashway (Queensbury, NY/Glens Falls) and rookie Courtney Haff (Burnt Hills, NY/Burnt Hills Ballston Lake).

The games was called due to darkness with the home Trailblazers not taking their at bats in the bottom half of the inning. Due to NCAA rules as the top half of the innings' outcome not changing the outcome of the game, the Sage half of the sixth inning remains and the final score was Sage, 12-5.

Sage's Beirkirch was 3-5 with two RBI's and two stolen bases, while rookieAlana Vandenburgh (Wynantskill, NY/Columbia) was 3-4 with two RBIs and a pair of doubles.

MCLA's Sicinski added two RBIs and was 1-2 at the plate.

Brace picked up the win after allowing five earned runs off seven hits with a pair of strikeouts and is now 6-7. Lashway worked 1.2 innings and fanned one with no hits in relief. MCLA's Meczywor took the loss after six innings of work with 12 earned runs off 18 hits and drops to 2-8.