Farmingdale, NY – The Sage Colleges' softball team travelled to Farmingdale State College for a Skyline Conference doubleheader with the Rams on Sunday. The Rams swept the pair of games with a 4-3 win in the first game and a 7-6 victory in the second of the two contests. FSC improves to 12-12 overall and 5-3 in the league, while Sage drops to 9-13 overall and 2-4 in the Skyline Conference.
The Gators strung together a late game run in the top of the seventh inning scoring a pair of runs to pull within one run, down 4-3. The Gators were led by sophomore Kristen Beikirch (Brockport, NY/Brockport) as she had an fielders' choice RBI and was driven in by senior Kelsey Newberg (New Britain, CT/New Britain) as she connected for a double and collected an RBI to drive in Beikirch. Sage was unable to tie the score at 4-4 and fell 4-3.
Sage's offense was paced by three doubles a Newberg, graduate performer Rachel Smith (Valatie, NY/Ichabod Crane), and sophomore Karlie Williams (Schenectady, NY/Mohonasen) all had doubles in the game.
Freshman pitcher Katie Kovage (Hoosick Falls, NY/Hoosick Falls Central) suffered her first loss on the season after she allowed three earned runs off eight hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Kovage is now 3-1 on the year.
In the second game, FSC had a 1-0 lead heading into the top of the second inning before the Gators pushed four runs past the plate and took a 4-1 lead. Sage tacked on a single run in the top of the fourth and fifth innings for a 6-1 lead. FSC overtook the Gators with a six-run showing in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Offensively, Beikirch exploded for two doubles and was 3-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Newberg was 1-3 with a triple and two RBIs, while junior catcher Trish Gaulin (South Glens Falls, NY/South Glens Falls) connected for a double and was 2-3 at the plate. Smith also drove in a run and was 1-2 at the plate.
Newberg suffered the loss after six innings of work and falls to 3-6 on the season. She worked six innings with seven hits and six earned runs. She walked five and struck out four batters in the game. On the season, she leads the Gators with 40 strikeouts and now has extended her active Sage career strikeout mark to 227.
Sage will be back in action on April 9 at Cazenovia College in a 3:30 p.m. non-conference road doubleheader.
