SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.—The Skidmore College softball team makes its final playoff push this weekend, closing out its Liberty League regular season schedule with a pair of doubleheaders. The Thoroughbreds go on the road to take on Clarkson on Saturday before hosting Union on Sunday.
The season will come down to the final weekend for almost all Liberty League teams, as league-leader Rochester is the only team to have clinched a playoff berth. RPI (5-3) is second, followed by St. Lawrence (5-5), Union (4-4), Clarkson (3-5) and Skidmore (3-5). The top four teams earn a berth to the Liberty League tournament.
Skidmore (12-16, 3-5 Liberty League) vs. Clarkson (17-8, 3-5 Liberty League)Game Details: Saturday, April 25 – 1/3 p.m. | Potsdam, N.Y.
SCOUTING THE THOROUGHBREDS (12-16, 3-5 Liberty League): Freshman
Casey Attonito delivered a walk-off home run to cap dramatic 10-9 win over league-leader Rochester in Skidmore's last series. The loss was the Yellowjackets first conference loss of the season and it snapped their 10-game win streak. The Thoroughbreds scored seven runs in the bottom of the seventh to secure the win. Skidmore mounted another comeback in game two, but came up just short, falling 7-6.
Attonito went 4-for-8 with a double, a home run and four RBI for the series. Freshman infielder
Lizette Roman-Johnston also went 4-for-8, adding two RBI and three runs scored. Junior
Dani DeGregory was named to the Liberty League weekly honor roll after batting .600 (9-15) for the week. She was 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI in the game one win.
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS (17-8, 3-5 Liberty League): Clarkson went 1-1 in its last Liberty League series, splitting with RIT. The Golden Knights are 2-4 in their last six conference games. Shortstop Raenna Dunn went 3-for-4 with a double, three runs scored and a stolen base in a 7-1 win in game one. Pitcher Jamie Bridge pitched a one-run complete game, striking out 13 batters. She helped her own cause at the plate, going 3-for-3 with two doubles, two RBI and two stolen bases.
Clarkson has been a balanced team this season, ranking second in the league in team batting average (.306), slugging percentage (.391) and on base of (.383), while also sitting second with a team ERA of 2.52 The Golden Knights have surrendered a league-low 77 runs and 58 earned runs
Dunn leads the league with 12 stolen bases, second with a .413 batting average. Bridge is tied for the conference-high with 12 stolen bases and tied for third with three triples. Freshman Summer Lancette has been a major contributor in her rookie campaign, ranking third in the league with 23 runs scored, three triples and 11. Ali Schwenfeier is fourth in the league with 18 RBI.
Bridge has also been the team's top contributor on the mound. She is 10-3 on the season and is second in the Liberty League with a 2.07 ERA and 119 strike outs over 94.2 innings.
LAST MEETING: April 26, 2014 at Skidmore
Skidmore 4, Clarkson 1
Skidmore 5, Clarkson 4
Skidmore sweeps Clarkson to earn Liberty League berth
Skidmore (12-16, 3-5 Liberty League) vs. Union (10-17, 4-4 Liberty League)Game Details: Sunday, April 26 – 1/3 p.m. | Saratoga Springs, N.Y. | Wagner Park
Game Link: Live Stats SCOUTING THE DUTCHWOMEN (10-17, 4-4 Liberty League): Union split with Oneonta in its last series, taking game one 4-2 before falling 4-0 in the second game. Junior Molly O'Brien was 3-for-3 with an RBI in the win, while junior Dani Hennel produced two RBI. Senior Allyston Staats picked up her 10th win of the season on the mound, pitching a complete game and allowing eight hits and two runs while walking one and striking out two.
The Dutchwomen are 2-6 on the road this season. They have the league's second-lowest team batting average (.234), slugging percentage (.305) and on-base percentage (.313).
Staats has pitched a league-high 148 innings and is fifth in the conference with a 2.84 ERA and third with 103 strike outs. She has also led the offense, posting a team-high .385/.467/.551 slash line. She is fourth in the league with eight doubles. Senior outfielder Camille Corbin is second on the team with a .313 batting average and ranks second in the conference with four home runs and tied for fourth with 18 RBI. She has a team-best six multiple RBI games this season and has reached base safely in 11 straight games.
LAST MEETING: April 27, 2014 at Union
Skidmore 3, Union 7
Skidmore 2, Union 9
Skidmore closes out Liberty League regular season at Union
NEXT UP:Skidmore hosts Plattsburgh for a non-league doubleheader at 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 21.
