March 14: After trading runs with Western New England in both the fourth and eighth innings, the St. Lawrence softball team was able to capitalize on a throwing error and push home a run in the bottom of the ninth to win 3-2 and earn a split on their first day of competition in Clermont, Fla.
First-year
Emma Reakes led off the bottom of the ninth for the Saints, while classmate
Jacqueline Dufour started as the runner on second for the inning. Reakes hit a slow roller toward the mound and Western New England pitcher Heidi Grieger fielded it cleanly, but she put the throw in the dirt and it skipped behind her first baseman; allowing to score all the way from second.
"I'm really proud of the way the girls played this afternoon," Head Coach
Elisa VanKirk said. "That was one of the most fun games I've been a part of as a coach. We did all the little things we needed to do to get runners on base and find a way to win – everyone contributed, it was a team victory."
St. Lawrence came-from-behind on two different occasions and didn't lead until Dufour came around to win the game.
Western New England took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning on a double by Alexis Bukowski, but first-year
Kylee Knight plated the Saints first run of the season in the bottom half of the frame with a single to center field that brought
Kelsey Murphy around to score and tie the game at 1-1.
In the top of the eighth inning the Golden Bears regained the lead on a run by Jocelyn Agnelli, who started on second for the visitors.
In the bottom half of the inning, with the game on the line, Knight hustled down the line to beat out a throw from short; earning an infield single and advancing runner
Carly Dziekan to third. Senior
Aisha O'Connor then hit a hard ground ball to second that took a wild hop over the second baseman's glove and into short left field, scoring Dziekan to force the decisive ninth inning. Â
Senior pitcher
Kyle Plimpton struck out 14 in the win for St. Lawrence. She was also the pitcher of record in the Saints first game of the day; a 2-0 loss to Babson.
Both of Babson's runs came from a triple by Madison DiNaso that split the St. Lawrence outfielders in right center and rolled to the wall.
Despite outhitting the Beavers 7-4, the Saints left nine runners on base in the contest.
Babson worked out of a bases loaded jam in the top of the fifth to keep the Saints off the board.
Jordan Sheridan got the Saints started with a slap single to shallow right field;
Kylee Knight followed with her second hit of the day – also to right.
Aisha O'Connor walked to load them up, but
Kelsey Murphy popped out to short and
Jacqueline Dufour struck out swinging to end the threat.
Plimpton was also the pitcher of record against the Beavers; striking out eight.
At the plate, each of the first-year students (Knight ,
Kelsey Murphy, Dufour, Reakes and
Laura Finley) Â recorded a hit on their first day of collegiate competition, as
Kylee Knight led the Saints with a combined five hits on the day. She and Finley both recorded three hits in the second game win.
The Saints will continue their Florida schedule with games against Wesleyan and Macalester at 5:00 and 7:00 pm, respectively, on Sunday afternoon. Â Â
