CLERMONT, FL – Sophomore Alexa Silk (Freehold, NY/Greenville) went 4-7 with two doubles and three runs, but it wouldn't be enough as Sage softball dropped their season openers to SUNY-Potsdam and Saint Joseph's (Me.) 10-9 and 6-0 respectively.
The Gators got off to an early start in game one with Potsdam when Katy Rimawi (Ballston Spa, NY/Ballston Spa) hit a one out double down the left-field line in the top of the second for Sage's first hit of the game. Rimawi was hit home on a Jen Onwe (Tarrytown, NY/Sleepy Hollow) double to left center to put Sage up 1-0 going into the bottom of the second.
The Bears responded immediately in the bottom of the second with a leadoff solo homer by Katie Marsman to right center to tie the game 1-1. With a runner on second and one out on the board, left fielder Allison Ford (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) made the throw to home to get Alexis Lerman out at the plate and prevent the go-ahead run for Potsdam.
In the top of the third, Ford hit a single to right center to bring Silk home and put the Gators up 2-1. With bases loaded, Onwe drew a walk to bring Morgan Dunn (Cohoes, NY/Cohoes) home and go up 3-1. Kiersten Duncan (Millerton, NY/Taconic Hills) immediately followed with a two-RBI single to left field and put Sage up 5-1.
Sage pitcher Lindsay Brace (Moriah, NY/Moriah Central) did work early in the bottom of the third for the Gators with two strikeouts. However, the Bears went on a three run, two-out rally in the bottom of the third to come back within one run of the Gators. Potsdam runners reached home on errors and an RBI single from Lerman.
Sage extended its lead in the top of the fourth to 6-4 when Dunn singled to center field and hit Silk home from second.
In the bottom of the fifth, Potsdam put two runs on the board to tie the game 6-6 off a Lauren Brace RBI bunt and a Samantha Cohn walk.
The Gators got their lead back in the top of the sixth when Dunn hit a two RBI double to right field. The senior reached home on the next batter on an error to put Sage up 9-6. Potsdam cut the lead to two runs in the bottom of the sixth when Jordan Ott scored on a wild pitch.
With two outs and the game on the line, Murphy homered to right center to keep Potsdam's hopes alive in the bottom of the seventh. Brooke Falsion tied the game 9-9 on a single bunt with a series of Sage errors. With Ott on third, Carina Chirinko hit a walk-off RBI single through the right side for the Potsdam win.
Dunn (2-4, three RBI's, three runs), Silk (3-4, three runs) and Onwe (1-3, two RBI's, one run) led Sage on offense while Potsdam was led by Ott (2-4, three runs), Marsman (1-2, three runs, one RBI) and Chirinko (2-5, one RBI, one run).
Ford (0-1) picked up the loss for the Gators while Meghan Dougherty (1-0) was credited with the win. Sage starter Brace led both teams in strikeouts with four in 4.1 innings of work.
In game two with Saint Joseph's (Me.) (3-0), the Monks got off to an early 4-0 in the first two innings. Saint Joseph's pitcher Erica Boulanger threw three hitless hitting until Silk doubled to left field in the bottom of the fourth. Silk reached scoring position at third, but the sophomore was left stranded.
Saint Joseph's added another run in the top of the fifth off a Mariah Harrison RBI double to go up 5-0.
Onwe and Aanisah Taylor (Great Barrington, MA/Monument Mountain Regional) each singled in the bottom of the fifth, but they were left on base.
The Monks scored their sixth run of the game in the top of the seventh on a Katherine Collete RBI.
Rimawi led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a single to left field and Onwe reached on fielding error, but the Monk defense was too much for the Gators to get a last minute rally going.
Saint Joseph's was led on offense by Meghan Elliott (2-4, two RBI's), Megan Pollini (1-3, two runs) and Harrison (3-4, one RBI, one run).
Boulanger (1-1) was credited with the win with four strikeouts. Ford (0-2) picked up the loss for the Gators.
Sage currently stands 0-2 on the season with games against Oneonta State and Wheaton (Ill.) today at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.