SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Skidmore College softball team rode stellar pitching in a doubleheader sweep of Southern Vermont, on a warm afternoon at Wagner Park. The Thoroughbreds took game one 9-0 in five innings and erased an early deficit in a 5-1 victory in game two.
 
Skidmore improves to 8-12 overall with the sweep, while Southern Vermont falls to 0-6 on the young season.
 
Amanda Carilli pitched a five-hit complete game shutout in the first game, striking out two batters as the Thoroughbreds scored their nine runs on just three hits. Skidmore scored its first five runs of game one on wild pitches in the second and third innings. In the fourth, Karly Fishkin doubled down the left field line, scoring Maddie Nelson from first base to make it 6-0. After Lizette Roman-Johnston drew a walk, Fortunato ripped a double down the left field line, scoring Fishkin and Roman-Johnston. Fortunato later scored on a wild pitch to bring the score to 9-0.
 
Southern Vermont threatened a two-out rally in the bottom of the fifth, with runners on second and third after a hit by Taylor Jarosz. Carilli reached back and forced Southern Vermont batter Lizzy Bench to foul out to Roman-Johnston at first to end the game via the eight-run rule.
 
In game two, it was the Mountaineers who struck first, getting to Emily Popp with a run on three hits in the top of the first. From there, Popp settled down and allowed just three hits the rest of the way, earning the victory with a career-best eight strikeouts in seven innings pitched.
 
With Popp settling down in the circle, the Thoroughbred offense chipped away at the deficit. Skidmore took the lead on a big three-run third inning, starting with Fishkin's one-out triple to deep right center field. The next batter, Roman-Johnston hit a comebacker to Southern Vermont pitcher Shea Wilson, but she was unable to field it cleanly as Fishkin raced home to tie the game. Two pitches later, Fortunato hit a deep bomb to left center field for her second home run of the season, giving Skidmore the 3-1 lead.
 
Smart baserunning by Heather Mak added to the Skidmore lead in the fourth. After reaching on a bunt, Mak took off for second with the base open, triggering a run down. Mak held long enough to allow Roman-Johnston to score from second base and Mak eventually beat the Mountaineer defense, evading the tag to get to second base. Later in the inning, Nelson scored on a Southern Vermont error to give the Thoroughbreds a 5-1 lead.
 
Popp was solid in the circle from that point on, pitching a perfect three innings to finish the contest.
 
Skidmore will hit the road on Wednesday, travelling to Williams for a doubleheader beginning at 3:30 p.m.