Albany, NY –Russell Sage College's softball team hosted Nazareth University on Sunday afternoon at the Plumeri Sports Complex. The Gators posted a 3-0 win in the first game and then took the nightcap, 7-3. Since joining the Empire 8, RSC has now only swept Nazareth twice in a league series after today's pair of victories. The first sweep came in 2021. RSC improves to 13-13 overall and is now 5-3 in the league. Nazareth drops to 10-8 overall and is 4-2 in the league.
Game #1 RSC 3-0 Nazareth
In the circle for RSC, rookie Leah Madore (Williamsville, VT/Brattleboro Union) held the Golden Flyers to just one hit and threw seven scoreless innings for her second career shutout win. She stands at 7-5 now after she fanned three in the action.
RSC's outfielder and graduate player Arianna Papas (Castleton, NY/Maple Hill) was 1-4 at the plate with a triple and a run scored. Senior Katelyn Rice (Albany, NY/Colonie Central) was 1-for-3 at the plate for the Gators, while junior Aly Murphy (Gill, MA/Turners Falls) had an RBI to go with her 1-for-3 effort at the plate.
Rookie infielder Ciana Santana (East Meadow, NY/East Meadow) had an RBI and was 2-for-3 at the plate to help the Gators to the first game victory on Sunday.
Game #2 RSC 7-3 Nazareth
RSC held a 7-0 lead before Nazareth scored their only runs of the game with three in the top of the sixth inning.
The Gators finished with 10 hits including three doubles.
For RSC, graduate performer Taylor Dicranian (Bennington, VT/Mt. Anthony Union) added a double and was 2-4 with a run scored and two RBI's. Dicranian now has 47 career doubles, just one shy of tying the record set by Kiersten Duncan with 48. Dicranian picked up the complete game win in the circle for RSC.
She allowed three earned runs off of 10 hits with a strikeout and is now 6-8 on the season. She has now played in 119 games on her career with 363 at bats (No. 10), 134 hits (No. 8), 47 doubles (No. 2), 72 runs scored (No. 12), and 72 RBI's (No. 13).
As impressive as her numbers are at the plate, she has been just as effective for RSC during her time as a Gator. She continues to add to her active career record having worked in 389.1 innings, while earning 30 wins (No.2), has 33 complete games (No. 7), 80 strikeouts (No. 16), and 85 career appearances (No. 1).
Papas connected for a double and a stolen base, while Rice also doubled and connected on her 100th career hit in the nightcap. She is now 20th in career hits as well at RSC.
Papas, who was named a NFCA Regional Player to Watch for Division III, now has 132 career hits and is eighth in the Gator career record book, while having played in 85 games. Her 277 career at-bats ranks 23rd, while her 34 career doubles is tied for tenth. She has also driven in 69 RBI's (No. 15), while scoring 89 runs (No.7) and has been successful on 19-of-21 stolen base attempts and ranks 12th.
RSC returns to action on April 19 hosting Utica University in an Empire 8 double header slated for a 3 p.m. start at the Plumeri Complex.
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