Buffalo, NY –Russell Sage College's softball team faced Medaille University on Saturday in an Empire 8 doubleheader, the final regular-season games of the year for the Gators. Medaille won the first game, 5-4 and RSC won the second game 6-1.
Graduate player Taylor Dicranian (Bennington, VT/Mt. Anthony Union) broke the career doubles record on Saturday with a double in each game. In the nightcap, she added 49 career double as she surpassed Kiersten Duncan (48) with her double in the sixth inning.
RSC is now 20-16 overall and wraps the Empire 8 play with a mark of 11-5, securing the No. 3 seed in the upcoming league championship. Top seeded Alfred University will host the league's tournament, May 11-13. RSC's head coach Erica Li is in her fifth season at the helm of the Gators and has led the team to post-season appearances in the team's last three seasons (2021, 2022 and 2023).
Game #1 Medaille 5-4 RSC
In a see-saw battle, the Gators fell to the Mustangs after their late-game rally fell short after pushing here runs across the plate in the bottom of the sixth inning.
In the circle for RSC, rookie Leah Madore (Williamsville, VT/Brattleboro Union) worked 7 innings allowing nine hits with 5 earned runs, three walks and four strikeouts. She drops to 10-8.
Dicranian collected her first double to tie the career record, while going 3-for-4 with an RBI. Senior Lauren Salmonese (Poughkeepsie, NY/Poughkeepsie) was 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored as well, while junior Isabella Vano (Yorktown Heights, NY/Yorktown) had a triple for the Gators.
Game #2 RSC 6-1 Medaille
RSC's Dicranian worked on both sides of the ball as she collected the win for RSC and also was 2-for-4 with a stolen base. In the circle, she allowed just one run off of five hits with a pair of strikeouts.
Dicranian now has 140 career hits and ranks No. 8 all-time, while adding 80 RBI's, which is tenth best. In the circle, she now has 89 career appearances and continues to add to her active record. Her 415.1 innings of work stands first and now has 34 career wins which is No.2. Her 37 complete games checks in fifth, while her 91 career strikeouts is 15th.
RSC opens their 2023 Empire 8 Tournament action on May 11 at Alfred University. Game times and pairings will be announced follow Sunday's completion of the regular-season.
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