TROY, N.Y. – A late rally by RIT gave the Tigers a 7-4 victory over the Skidmore College softball team in the second day of the Liberty League Tournament, held at Doris Robison Field Saturday afternoon.
Skidmore finishes the season at 19-23, while RIT improves to 23-15. RIT will take on Clarkson with a chance to advance to the Liberty League Championship series.
Sierra Valentine (10-7) picked up the victory for RIT in relief, allowing one earned over 3 2/3 innings. She replaced starter Lauren Mahar, who allowed three runs, two earned, over 3 1/3 innnings.
Amanda Carilli (13-14) pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing four earned runs in 5 2/3 innings, striking out two batters.
Emily Popp came on in relief, allowing three and striking out a batter in 1 1/3 innings.
Skidmore struck first in the bottom of the first. After
Lizette Roman-Johnston reached on an error,
Karly Fishkin made RIT pay, taking a 1-1 pitch over the left field wall for a two-run home run, her fourth homer of the season. Skidmore then loaded the bases on a trio of infield hits, before RIT retired the side with a pair of strikeouts. A triple by
Kristina Foley set up Skidmore's third run in the bottom of the third. After the triple, Popp brought Foley home on the sacrifice fly to center field.
A walk and a pair of singles set the table for the Tigers in the top of the fourth, but the Thoroughbred defense shut the door in the frame.
Heather Mak made the second out on a close play at the plate for the second out, then caught the pop out in shallow right field to end the RIT threat.
The Tigers walked and doubled to start the fifth. Sarah Thayer got the Tigers on the board with a two-RBI double, then tied the game at three on Tori Blaker's RBI triple. The next batter, Alexandria Linderman, gave RIT the 4-3 lead on a grounder to third base.
Skidmore looked to rally in the bottom of the sixth. A pair of walks by
Mary Farrington and
Maddie Nelson got Skidmore on with two outs. Valentine, coming in relief, forced Roman-Johnston to ground out to end the inning. The Tigers then tacked on three insurance runs in the top of the seventh.
With Skidmore up against the wall, the Thoroughreds loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. Farrington possessed a good eye at the plate, walking home a run, but RIT forced the groundout at second to end the game.
Skidmore tallied eight hits in the season finale, with Fishkin, Foley, and
Jill Strileckis each going 2-for-4. Popp went 2-for-3.
