Madison Mitchell allowed just one earned run in two complete game victories to lead the St. Lawrence University softball team to a sweep of Clarkson, 3-1 and 5-2, in a Liberty League doubleheader at Saints Softball Field on Sunday afternoon.
With the sweep, the Saints improved to 18-8 overall, 6-4 in the Liberty League. Clarkson fell to 16-14, 5-3. The Saints are one game ahead of both Skidmore and the University of Rochester in the loss column and can clinch a spot in the Liberty League playoffs next Saturday against Rochester.
"That was huge," said Saints' head coach
Elisa VanKirk. "We have a very young team, and for them to go out there and win three out of four games this weekend, with the playoff implications on the line, it says a lot about the character of the 16 players on this team."
Mitchell allowed five hits and three walks with seven strikeouts in the opener, as the Saints responded to Clarkson's only run in the top of the fifth with three runs in the bottom of the inning.
Caitlin Syphurs plated a run on a bases loaded fielder's choice, as
Taylor Armijo beat the throw home to tie the game.
Mylea Mann followed with a sacrifice fly to center to score
Deanna Sullivan, and
Elle Gray added an insurance run on the play when a throw by the catcher back to second sailed into center field.
Samm Swiesz scored the lone run for Clarkson on an infield single by Reanne Dunn.
Gray was 2-for-2 to lead the Saints' at the plate in game one, while
Alexandra Barter was 2-for-3. Liz Caggiano went 2-for-3 for Clarkson, and Dunn was 2-for-4.
Jamie Bridge took the loss for Clarkson, allowing three runs, with just one earned, on six hits and one walk with four strikeouts.
As good as Mitchell was in the first game, she may have been even better in the second. She allowed two unearned runs on five hits and two walks. She got Clarkson batters to ground out 13 times and forced three infield pop ups. She also got some help from her catcher,
Emma Reakes, who threw out a runner at third on a stolen base attempt after a pitch in the dirt initially got away from her, to end the sixth inning.
St. Lawrence took a 1-0 lead in the second inning without the benefit of a hit, as Barter and Armijo walked, and Sullivan and
Abrianna Schlickenmayer were hit by pitches.
The Saints added three more runs in the fifth inning to push the lead to 4-0. Syphurs hit an RBI double to left center,
Angelina Carney hit an RBI single, and Armijo worked a bases loaded walk to drive in the runs for the Saints.
Clarkson scored two runs when Liz Caggiano reached on a throwing error with two outs in the sixth inning, but Reakes ended the inning by catching the Clarkson pinch runner stealing third.
Mylea Mann added an RBI single to score Gray in the sixth inning to add an insurance run for the Saints.
Syphurs and Barter were both 2-for-3 in the second game for the Saints, while Reanna Dunn was 3-for-4 with a double.
Mitchell improved to 11-2 on the season for the Saints. She now has 10 complete games and she lowered her ERA on the season to 2.55. She pitched 27 innings on the weekend, allowing just three earned runs for an ERA of just 0.78. Opposing batters hit just .165 against the rookie on the weekend.
The Saints will host SUNY Oswego in a non-league at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
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