Troy, NY –The Sage College's softball team collected a sweep of Skyline Conference opponent St. Joseph's College (LI) on Saturday afternoon a Robison Field. Sage won the first game, 12-8 and then picked up an 8-0 win in five innings in the nightcap, giving SJC their first Skyline losses of the season. Sage improves to 10-10 overall and 4-2 in the league, while SJC is now 12-11 overall and 5-2 in the conference.
In the first game there were a pair of ties and several lead changes before the Gators jumped on top for good with three runs in the bottom of the fourth. The Gators had two more in the bottom of the fifth and three more in the bottom of the sixth and held on for the 12-8 win after a Golden Eagle rally was cut short in the top of the seventh.
Sage's sophomore pitcher Lindsay Brace (Moriah, NY/Moriah Central) got the win after 6.1 innings of work with four strikeouts and seven earned runs off 11 hits and stands at 4-6. Junior Katie Kovage (Hoosick Falls, NY/Hoosick Falls Central) picked up the save allowing just one hit in her two thirds of an inning of work.
Offensively, Sage got a pinch hit two run home run from freshman Courtney Haff (Burnt Hills, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) in the bottom of the fifth inning. Her first career home run came on the heels of a three run shot by junior first baseman Morgan Dunn (Cohoes, NY/Cohoes) in the bottom half of the fourth innings, giving Sage an 8-4 lead.
Dunn was 3-3 with four RBI's and three runs scores as she also had a double in the action. Senior Kristen Beikirch (Brockport, NY/Brockport) was 2-2 with three runs scored. Beikirch, the Gators' all-time career hit leader now has 199 career hits heading into Sunday's home double header.
SJC's senior Nicole Reda (Saint James, NY/Our Lady of Mercy) was 2-4 with a two RBI home run in the top of the second to give SJC their first lead of the game, 2-1 after two innings.
Junior catcher Casey Thomas (Bellmore, NY/Mepham) was 3-4 with a run scored and one RBI for the Golden Eagles.
Junior pitcher Mallory McClafferty (Bellport, NY/St. John the Baptist) worked 4.2 innings with eight earned runs off 10 hits and four strikeouts as she suffered the loss, dropping to 5-3. Rookie Sandra Foster (East Meadow, NY/East Meadow) worked a third of an inning, while rookie Lauren Bututla (Hauppauge, NY/Huappauge) worked an inning with three earned runs off three hits with one walk.
In the nightcap, Sage shutout SJC and held the Golden Eagles to just three hits. Kovage worked the complete game shutout and improves to 4-3 after she fanned three in her appearance. Kovage now has 25 career victories at Sage, and is now tied for No. 3 all-time in wins with Kelli Martin. Her 152 career strikeouts is now No. 2 as she moved ahead of current Sage assistant coach, Rachel Smith (150) on Saturday.
Offensively, Sage sophomore short stop Jess Adams (Nassau, NY/Columbia) as she belted a two run home run in the bottom of the fifth and finished the game with a 2-2 effort with two runs scored. Kovage was 3-3 at the plate with two RBI's, while Dunn was 2-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
SJC's Buturla took the loss after her 4 plus innings of work with two strikeouts. She yielded six earned runs off 12 hits and falls to 4-6.
Sage is back in action on April 12 hosting Purchase College in a noon Skyline Conference doubleheader at Robinson Field.