St. Lawrence University Athletics

Caitlin Syphurs hit a two-run home run in the first inning to lead the St. Lawrence University softball team to a 6-2 win over Skidmore in the first game of the day, but the Saints were unable to come back from an early 6-0 hole in the nightcap, falling to the Thoroughbreds 6-4 in a Liberty League split on Saturday afternoon at Saints Softball Field.

With the split, St. Lawrence (16-8 overall, 4-4 Liberty League) remains in fourth place in the Liberty League standings, one game ahead of the Thoroughbreds (12-19, 3-5) for the final spot in the conference tournament. 

The Saints raced out to a 6-0 lead in the opener. Elle Gray plated two runs with a double to left center in the third, Deanna Sullivan hit a bases loaded single in the fourth, and Abrianna Schlickenmayer had a pinch hit single up the middle to cap the Saints' scoring in the fourth inning.

Kristina Foley hit a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning and Lauren Fortunato hit a solo home run in the seventh for the Thoroughbreds, finishing the game 2-for-3.

Madison Mitchell earned the complete game victory for the Saints, allowing just three hits and striking out nine while working around eight walks. Amanda Carilli took the loss, allowing all six runs on nine hits and three walks.

Mylea Mann was 2-for-3 with a double for the Saints, and Sullivan finished 2-for-2 with two walks. 

In the second game, it was Skidmore that raced out to a 6-0 lead, as Lizette Roman-Johnston led off the game with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly by Fortunato. Kristina Foley and Jill Strileckis added RBI singles in a three-run first inning.

Karly Fishkin hit a two run double to left center field and later scored on a single by Emily Popp to give 
Skidmore a 6-0 lead.

The Saints chipped away at the Skidmore lead, as Mann hit a two-run double and scored on an RBI double by Schlickenmayer in the third inning, and Gray added an RBI single in the fourth.

Carilli came on in relief to start the fifth inning for Skidmore, and after Mann reached on an error, retired the next nine St. Lawrence hitters to earn the save.

Strileckis was 2-for-3 for Skidmore, while Roman-Johnston and Popp were both 2-for-4. Seven different players had one hit for the Saints.

Popp got the win, allowing four runs on seven hits and two walks in four innings. Allie Courtwright took the loss for the Saints, allowing three runs in 0.2 innings. Mitchell pitched six shutout innings in relief for the Saints, allowing just three hits and three walks with two strikeouts.

The Saints will face Clarkson, which is tied with Rensselaer atop the Liberty League standings, in a conference doubleheader on Sunday at 1 p.m.