SCHENECTADY, NY -- Junior Aimee Palleschi had a game tying homer and later a game winning single to lead the Union College softball team to a 7-6, eight inning win over The Sage Colleges at Alexander Field Thursday. The Gators won the nightcap, 4-1. and are now 16-15 while the Dutchwomen stand at 10-17.
Palleschi hit a two run homer, her third HR of the season, to left center in the bottom of the seventh to tie the contest at 5-5. In the eighth, with Union tied at 6-6 with two outs, she singled to left to bring home Kristin Schmidt for the game winning RBI. Palleschi had three hits with her three RBIs in the opener, and Allyson Staats also had three hits for Union. Alyssa Wolejko earned her fifth win of the season, allowing three earned runs and striking out 11 in eight innings.
Senior Kelsey Newberg (New Britain, CT/New Britain), junior Hilllary Faas (East Greenbush, NY/Columbia) and rookie Courtney Laughlin (Cohoes, NY/Cohoes) each had two hits for the Gators, while rookie pitcher Katie Kovage (Hoosick Falls, NY/Hoosick Falls Central) took the loss despite striking out eight batters in her 7 2/13 innings of work. Sophomore Kristen Beikirch (Brockport, NY/Brockport) led off the game with her fourth homer of the season, and the Gators led 4-0 after three, as Laughlin had an RBI double in that inning. Union scored three in the bottom of the fifth, as Palleschi had a two run single followed by an RBI single by Wolejko. A sacrfice fly by rookie Jennifer Onwe (Tarrytown, NY/Sleepy Hollow) in the sixth gave the Gators a 5-3 lead, which held up until Palleschi's tying homer in the seventh. In the top of the eighth, the Gators scored an unearned run on a throwing error and led 6-5 into the eighth. Schmidt drove home Molly O'Brien with an RBI single to tie the game, and after two strikeouts, Palleschi then completed her big game with the game winning hit to left.
In the nightcap, senior pitcher Kesley Newberg was the story for Sage. She gave up just three hits and one run en route to her sixth win of the spring. After allowing a leadoff single in the first and a two out walk in that inning, Newberg retired the next 17 batters including the first ouf of the seventh. Allyson Staats drove home Joanna Chalifoux with a sacrifice fly for the lone Dutchwomen run in the seventh. Newberg's win was the 26th of her career, pulling her within one game of Sage's career victory mark which is 27 and held by Kim Fredenburgh.
Sage scored twice in the first with an RBI double by Faas and an RBI single by sophomore Karlie Williams (Schenectady, NY/Mohonasen). They added another in the second as Newberg drove in a run with a single, and Williams had her second RBI single of the day in the fifth. Staats took the loss for Union, giving up two earned runs and seven hits while posting six strikeouts.
Union returns to Liberty League play this weekend with twinbills at Rochester Saturday and at RIT Sunday. Sage is back home on Saturday to host the College of Mt. St. Vincent at 1 p.m. for a Skyline League doubleheader.
August 12, 2013
Thinking about playing softball at Sage in 2013-2014?
May 15, 2013
Sage Gators among the NCAA Softball Leaders
May 14, 2013
Sage to sponsor a number of Summer Sports Camps
May 12, 2013
Sage finishes 2013 as ECAC Metro Runners-up
May 10, 2013
Live stats for Sage's ECAC Tournament Games
May 2, 2013
Sage softball squad among national stats leaders
April 30, 2013
Sage Announces 2012-2013 Athletic Award Winners
April 27, 2013
Sage bows out of Skyline Conference Tournament
April 27, 2013
Video of 2013 Skyline Conference Softball Tournament
April 20, 2013
Newberg ties Victories Mark as Gators Sweep CMSV
April 18, 2013
Sage posts split with Union in softball on Thursday
April 17, 2013
RPI tops Gators in battle of Troy
April 16, 2013
Gators sweep Skyline Conference Honors
April 13, 2013
Gators Top Purchase twice in Skyline Softball Action
April 10, 2013
Beikirch and Kovage honored by Skyline With Weekly honors
April 7, 2013
Rams Take Two from Gators in Skyline Softball Action
April 6, 2013
Softball Team Sweeps Panthers
April 4, 2013
Sage trounces Skidmore in softball, 8-0 and 20-4
April 3, 2013
Kovage named Skyline Conference Co-Rookie of the Week
March 30, 2013
NYU-Poly Tops Gators in Skyline Softball Opener
March 27, 2013
Sage sweeps MCLA in home opener on Wedndesday afternoon
March 21, 2013
Weather alters Sage softball schedule for the weekend
March 15, 2013
Sage closes out Florida trip on Friday
March 12, 2013
Softball team drops two games on Tuesday
March 10, 2013
Softball team splits results on opening day
February 15, 2013
Sage picked third in race for 2013 Skyline Title
January 3, 2013
Sage names 38 Gators to first Sage Scholar-Athlete Team
December 13, 2012
Sage announces the newest inductees for the Athletic Hall of Fame