Troy, NY – The Sage Colleges' softball team hosted the Thoroughbreds of Skidmore College on Thursday afternoon in a non-conference twin bill. The Gators took the first game, 8-0 in five innings. The nightcap saw the Gators explode for a season-best 20 runs en route to a 20-4 win. The Gators improve to 7-11 overall, while Skidmore drops to 8-14.
In the first game, Sage's rookie outfielder Lauren Cooney (Wyantskill, NY/Troy) connected on her first career home run with a solo shot in the bottom of the second inning to spot the Gators to a 1-0 lead. By game's end, she had tallied a triple and finished with a 2-2 performance at the plate with three RBIs.
Junior catcher Trish Gaulin (South Glens Falls, NY/South Glens Falls) drove in a pair of runs and added a double for the Gators. Junior short stop Hillary Faas (East Greenbush, NY/Columbia) connected on a double in her first at-bat to earn her 100th career hit becoming just the seventh player in program history to achieve the feat. She tallied a pair of hits in the contest and drove in a run as the Gators finished with 11 hits in the game. She also moves into the No. 3 spot on Sage's career double list with 26.
Freshman pitcher Katie Kovage (Hoosick Falls, NY/Hoosick Falls Central) worked the complete game and allowed just one hit, a single to left field by freshman Mackenzie Whiting (Ellington, CT/Ellington) in the top of the fifth. She fanned three and picked up her second win on the season (2-0), while recording her second shutout win of the season.
Skidmore's junior pitcher Katie Sorochka (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Memorial) took the loss after 4.1 innings of work with five walks and seven earned runs off 11 hits. She drops to 7-7 on the season.
In the nightcap, Skidmore jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first as senior Julia Schwartz (Bryn Mawr, PA/The Shipley School) had an RBI double. The lead did not last long as Sage tacked on a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning. In the second inning, graduate performer Rachel Smith (Valatie, NY/Ichabod Crane) connected on a grand slam and freshman Kiersten Gray (Glenville, NY/Niskayuna) and sophomore Karlie Williams (Schenectady, NY/Mohonasen) each had RBI single singles.
The Gators were blessed with a two run home run by Gray in the third inning and increased the team's lead to 12-1 after three innings. Pinch hitting for the Gators, freshman Courtney Laughlin (Cohoes, NY/Cohoes) took the first pitch she faced long and hit a three-run shot, the first of her career. By the inning's end, Sage had pushed eight runs past the plate on five hits and led 20-1.
Skidmore made a late rally in the top of the fifth inning as Sorochka had an RBI double and Schwartz had an RBI single but it was not enough to overtake Sage as the Thoroughbreds fell, 20-4.
At the plate, Sage's Smith was 4-4 with four RBI's, while Laughlin drove in three runs. Skidmore's Schwartz was 2-3 with two RBIs, a double, and a run scored.
Sage's senior pitcher Kelsey Newberg (New Britain, CT/New Britain) picked up the complete game win as she scattered seven hits and allowed three earned runs with six strikeouts. She improves to 2-5 on the season and continues to add to her career strikeout mark that now stands at 220.
Skidmore's freshman Cassie Fishkin (New City, NY/Clarkstown South) worked two inning plus innings with eight earned runs off 10 hits with two walks and a strikeout. She drops to 1-4 and was relieved by Sorochka, who worked two innings with nine earned runs off eight hits with four walks.
Sage will be back in action on April 6 at SUNY-Old Westbury for a 1 p.m. Skyline Conference doubleheader, while Skidmore is back in action on April 6 facing Union College in a Liberty League twinbill at 1 p.m.
