SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Skidmore College softball team hosted Liberty League foe Rochester Institute of Technology and the Thoroughbreds bounced back from a game one loss to win the nightcap and earn a split. Game one went to the visitors 2-0, while game two was won by the home team, 8-3. Skidmore, which celebrated its senior class, is now 7-21 overall and 1-7 in the conference. RIT's records are 11-14-1 and 4-6.
RIT 2, Skidmore 0
- The Tigers managed to get ahead early, scoring twice in the first inning thanks to a one-out, two-run double by Maddy Cook.
- RIT later loaded the bases but left all three stranded in the opening frame.
- Leadoff hitter Grace O'Connell began Skidmore's half of the inning by getting hit by a pitch. She eventually got to third base but was unable to score.
- Elle Harrison, who had two of the Thoroughbreds three hits in the game, made her way to third in the third inning.
- The Tigers threatened in both the fourth and fifth innings but left two on in each frame.
- Harrison led off the sixth with a single and eventually reached third.
- Hailey Clarke pitched all 7.0 innings for Skidmore, allowing just four hits and four walks with three strikeouts.
- Sophomore Jessica Majot earned the win with a complete game effort. She struck out eight.
- Four different players had hits for the Tigers.
Skidmore 8, RIT 3
- After being blanked in the first game, Skidmore leadoff hitter O'Connell manufactured a run in the first inning.
- O'Connell followed a walk with a steal before moving to third on a wild pitch and scoring on another wild one.
- Back-to-back doubles by RIT's Maddy Cook and Erin Ozminkowski, both to left field, opened the second inning and tied the game.
- Skidmore answered with four runs on four hits in its half of the second.
- Rachel Monser started things with a double to right and moved to third on a single by Hailey Clarke.
- A throwing error by RIT pitcher Katie Schneider allowed Monser to score.
- O'Connell, the center fielder, later came through with a three-run double to left that scored Elle Harrison, Claire Stone, and Hailey Clarke.
- One inning later, the Thoroughbreds added three more runs to open an 8-1 advantage.
- A bases loaded fielder's choice by Stone scored Franchesca Casillas and O'Connell knocked in two runs with a bases loaded single.
- Another pair of back-to-back doubles by RIT in the sixth inning, including one by Cook, helped score two runs to make it an 8-3 score.
- O'Connell was 2 for 3 with a walk, a double, a run, and five runs batted in.
- Harrison was 3 for 3 with a run and Clarke, who played third base, was 2 for 3 with two runs scored.
- Mallory Allen earned the win in the circle, thanks in part to four strikeouts, with Schneider taking the loss.
- Cook, a center fielder, was 2 for 3 with two doubles, a run, and an RBI.
UP NEXT: The Thoroughbreds remain in Saratoga Springs for a doubleheader against Middlebury College on Tuesday (3 p.m.) before visiting St. Lawrence University on Saturday (1 p.m.).
