CLERMONT, Fla. - Natalie Mayne hit a two-out, walk-off single in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the Skidmore College softball team a dramatic 10-9 win over Suffolk University on Wednesday afternoon at THE Spring Games in Florida. In their second game of the day, the Thoroughbreds trailed Rhode Island College, 9-1, in the fifth before scoring eight unanswered to tie it in the sixth before ultimately losing to the Anchorwomen, 12-9.
 
Skidmore is 3-3 with two games remaining on the trip on Thursday.
 
Game 1 – Skidmore 10, Suffolk 9 (8 inn.)

• The Thoroughbreds faced a 9-7 deficit after the Rams scored two in the top of the extra frame.
• In the bottom of the eighth, Lulu Mickle advanced the runner placed at second with an infield single. She quickly stole second – her third steal of the game. Skidmore swiped eight bags.
• Elle Harrison brought in the eighth Skidmore run, and moved the tying run to third, with a sacrifice fly. Then, Nate' Burley ripped a double to right-center to score Mickle and tie the game again. On a 1-1 count, Maybe ended it with a clean single through the box to score Burley, the winning run, from second.
• Burley, Mayne, and Mickle were the three Thoroughbreds who finished with two hits.
• Skidmore forced the game into extras with a pair of runs in the seventh on consecutive bases-loaded walks to Rachel Monser and Delaney Swain with two outs. Swan was down to her final strike when she watched ball four. Suffolk walked three and hit a batter to fuel the rally.
• Skidmore trailed 3-1 in the bottom of the sixth when Swain delivered a bases-clearing, three-run double that gave Skidmore the lead. It grew to two when Sophia Finch doubled off the wall one batter later.
• Julia Mills then highlighted Suffolk's four-run top of the seventh when she launched a three-run homer to left to cap a long at bat that gave the Rams a 7-5 lead.
• Shayne Cleeve got the win in the circle in relief for Skidmore. She entered after the go-ahead homer in the seventh and retired the side in the seventh and limited the damage in the eighth. She was charged with two runs (one earned) and allowed two hits with one strikeout.
• Cynthia Rucinski went the distance for the Rams with a 153-pitch effort. She walked five and struck out seven.

 
Game 2 – Rhode Island College 12, Skidmore 9

• Skidmore faced a 9-1 deficit in the fifth with two outs remaining before the run rule went into effect when Sienna Liston brought in one with a single to center, and Mickle scored a run two batters later on an infield knock.
• Then, after Rachel Monser worked a 1-2-3 bottom of the fifth, the Thoroughbreds scored six runs on four hits in the top of the sixth. Sam Waters smashed a two-run double to the gap in left-center that tied the game at nine.
• Skidmore scored runs earlier on an errant throw in from the outfield, an RBI Erin Gibbons double, and a bases-loaded walk to Mallory Allen before Mickle hit into a fielder's choice RBI with the help of an obstruction call at the plate.
• After Rhode Island College took the lead back in the bottom of the sixth, Skidmore once again brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh, but two strikeouts to the final two hitters for RIC reliever Gabby Cunha to finally secure the victory.  Cunha got the final five outs.
• Mayne reached four times on a 2-for-3 performance with two walks. Waters went 1-for-3 with two walks and two stolen bases.

 
UP NEXT
Skidmore completes play in Florida on Thursday with games against Buena Vista and Regis beginning at 9 a.m.