SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.—The Skidmore College softball team will look to climb the Liberty League standings with a pair of home doubleheaders this weekend. The Thoroughbreds host RIT on Saturday and take on league-leader #20 Rochester on Sunday.
Skidmore (10-14, 1-3 Liberty League) vs. RIT (4-14, 1-5 Liberty League)Game Details: Saturday, April 18 – 1/3 p.m. | Saratoga Springs, N.Y. | Wagner Park
Game Link: Live Stats SCOUTING THE THOROUGHBREDS (10-14, 1-3 Liberty League): Skidmore exploded for 10 runs in its second game at St. Lawrence to notch its first league win of the season, 10-0. The Thoroughbreds were edged 4-3 in the first game.
Cassie Fishkin was 2-for-3 with five RBI and a run scored in game two, while
Dani DeGregory and
Lizette Roman-Johnston both went 2-for-3.
Roman-Johnston had a huge week at the plate last week, batting .615 (8-13) with four RBI and eight runs scored. Freshman pitcher
Amanda Carilli was named the conference's Rookie of the Week after posting a 3-1 week on the mound. She conceded only five runs (four earned) in 21.3 innings for a 1.32 ERA and she added seven strikeouts over the four games. She leads the league with three saves, while her 89.1 innings pitched are third-most in the conference.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS (4-14, 1-5 Liberty League): RIT recorded its first league win of the season, splitting its series with St. Lawrence with a 5-0 win in game two. Sophomore Emma Sarles had three hits, including a pair of doubles in the series, while Tori Blaker went 2-for-4 in game two with an RBI and a run scored. The win snapped the Tigers seven-game losing skid.
RIT has struggled to get anything going on offense this season. The Tigers are averaging a league-low 2.0 runs per game and have the second-lowest batting average (.226) and on base percentage (.277) in the conference
. They also have the highest team ERA highest ERA (4.71).
Senior shortstop Sarah Wolcott has a team-best .368 batting average, .395 slugging percentage and .429 on base percentage. Sarles leads the team with four doubles and six RBI. Sophomore pitcher Sierra Valentine has a 3.14 ERA in 58 innings, while freshman Lauren Mahar holds a 4.65 ERA in 49.2 innings of work.
LAST MEETING: April 12, 2014 at RIT
Skidmore 7, RIT 6
Skidmore 8, RIT 5
Seventh heaven in Thoroughbred softball sweep
Skidmore (10-14, 1-3 Liberty League) vs. #20 Rochester (18-7, 4-0 Liberty League)Game Details: Sunday, April 19 – 1/3 p.m. | Saratoga Springs, N.Y. | Wagner Park
Game Link: Live Stats SCOUTING THE YELLOWJACKETS: Rochester pushed its win streak to eight games with a sweep of Utica in it last series. Senior Brittany Grage hit a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the 10th inning in game two to secure the sweep. Grage finished 3-for-6 with two runs scored and five RBI. The Yellowjackets won the opening game 4-0.
Rochester features the league's most potent offense. The Yellowjackets lead the conference in scoring (6.10), batting average (.333) and on base percentage (.401). Their 1.12 home runs per game scoring place them sixth in Division III, while their .550 slugging percentage ranks 16th.
Grage leads the league with a .939 slugging percentage, eight doubles and 39 RBI. She ranks second with a .448 batting average and her 10 home runs on the season place her 10th in the country. She has also appeared in 14 games on the mound, starting 12, posting a 3.02 ERA. Sophomore outfielder Shelby Corning, who is currently on an eight-game hitting streak, is batting .636 with a double and two triples against conference opponents this season. Eleni Wechsler has pitched a team-high 67 innings and holds a 3.03 ERA.
LAST MEETING: May 2, 2014 at RPI (Liberty League Tournament)
Skidmore 2, Rochester 13
Rochester ends Thoroughbred run
NEXT UP:Skidmore hosts Plattsburgh for a non-league doubleheader at 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 21.
