Albany, NY. – Russell Sage College concluded the regular season by splitting this afternoon's Empire 8 Conference doubleheader against Alfred University. The Gators (15-19/8-6 E8), wrapping up a stretch of three twin-bills in four-days, lost the opener 3-2 and took the nightcap 10-8.
With today's results, RSC secured the number 3 seed in the E8 Conference Championship Tournament. The Gators will face St. John Fisher, seeded second, on Thursday in the opening round of the double-elimination tournament. Alfred University wrapped up the regular-season as the Empire 8 champions and will host the four-team tournament as they face No. 4 seeded Nazareth in their first contest.
Empire 8 Double Elimination Championship (Hosted by Alfred University)
Thursday, May 5
Game 1 – #2 St. John Fisher College vs. #3 Russell Sage College – 2 p.m.
Game 2 – #1 Alfred University vs. #4 Nazareth College – 4:30 p.m.
Friday, May 6
Game 3 – Winning Team from Game 1 vs. Winning Team of Game 2 – 11 a.m.
Game 4 – Losing Team of Game 1 vs. Losing Team of Game 2 (elimination game) – 1:30 p.m.
Game 5 – Winning Team from Game 4 vs. Losing Team from Game 3 (elimination game) – 4 p.m.
Saturday, May 7
Game 6 – Championship Game 1 (Winner of game 4 vs. winner of Game 5) – possible champion to be crowned – 12 p.m.
Game 7 – Championship Game 2 (if necessary) – 2:30 p.m.
In the first game of the E8 series, Alfred held a 3-0 lead before Sage tallied two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning but could not catch the Saxons. Junior outfielder Lauren Salmonese (Poughkeepsie, NY/Poughkeepsie) and junior Makayla Lindsey (New Fairfield, CT/New Fairfield) made the most of their at-bats. Salmonese led off with a single down the left field line and moved to second on a sacrifice. Senior left hander Taylor Dicranian (Bennington, VT/Mt. Anthony Union) singled to left field before Lindsey singled to right field to score Dicranian.
Alfred's sophomore Mya Wells (San Ramon, CA/California) drove in two runs and had a double, while junior pitcher Arden Hatch (Orangevale, CA/St. Francis) was 2-for-3 with a run scored. She worked 6.0 innings and scattered four hits with 11 strikeouts in earning the win, moving to 7-4. Sophomore Megan Bennett (Athens, PA/Athens Area) picked up her seventh save as she worked the seventh inning struck out the side.
In the nightcap, there were five lead changes before Sage got out of a jam in the top of the seventh for the victory.
The Gators combined for 15 hits including five doubles, while Dicranian drove in two runs and was 2-for-4 at the plate.
She also worked 4.2 innings, allowing six earned runs and recorded her first save on the year. Lindsey worked 2.1 inning, allowing no hits with a pair of earned runs as she collected the victory (6-5).
Alfred's sophomore Mikaela Perez (Pomona, CA/Diamond Ranch) took the loss after working six innings, with 10 earned runs off 15 hits as she drops to 10-4.
Senior Day: Before the game, Russell Sage College Athletics recognized four student-athletes: Papas, Dicranian, senior outfielder Ashley Pulcher (Stuyvesant, NY/Ichabod Crane), and senior outfielder Kaitlynn Keeley (Waterbury, CT/Sacred Heart), for their contributions to the softball program.
Notes: Papas continues her red-hot season as she leads the team and the league with her .505 batting average on 50 hits with her team-best 32 runs, four triples, and five home runs and a blistering .869 slugging percentage. On her career, she has eight career homeruns which ranks in a tie for seventh, while now adding 95 career hits...Agate, who now has 113 career hits ranks 12th on the career list, while appearing in in 118 games (No. 16). She stands 14th in at bats (343), tied for 14th in doubles (19), tied for 12th in home runs, and eighth with her 43 RBI's...Dicranian, who owns a 24-17 career record in the circle, is making her mark as both a hitter and a pitcher. She is now third in appearances (67), while having worked in 291.0 innings (No. 8). She is now fifth in wins, while ranking 18th in strikeouts and has a 4.59 career ERA (No. 16). At the plate, she has 104 hits (No. 15), with 37 doubles (No. tied for 5th), with 524RBI's (21st)...Head Coach Erica Li, now in fourth season at the helm of the Gators, has directed Sage to the Empire 8 Tournament for the second straight year.