TROY, NY – Jennifer Onwe (Tarrytown, NY/Sleepy Hollow) and Katy Rimawi (Ballston Spa, NY/Ballston Spa) both had solo home runs as Sage swept SUNY-Old Westbury 3-0 and 10-0 (five innings) Saturday afternoon.
Allison Ford (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) started the day off for the Gators with a leadoff double to right center in game one. Rimawi hit the junior home on a single through the left side to go up 1-0. Sage (18-10, 9-1 Skyline) extended its lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the first when Katie Kovage (Hoosick Falls, NY/Hoosick Falls Central) and Alexa Silk (Freehold, NY/Greenville) scored on an Old Westbury (7-11, 3-10 Skyline) fielding error.
The Panthers had their best opportunity in the top of the sixth when Gabriella Valdes was on second and Delana Murray was on third. Ford moved from right field to pitcher to help Kovage and the Gator defense out of the pinch. With two outs on the board, Samantha Scharff grounded out to Morgan Dunn (Cohoes, NY/Cohoes), and Sage held on to its shutout.
Kovage (7-2) earned the win on a three strikeout, 5.2 inning effort while Ford picked up her first save of the season. Amanda Fucci was credited with the loss on a six strikeout effort.
In game two, Rimawi put the Gators up 1-0 early in the bottom of the first when the junior went yard over the left field fence.
In the bottom of the second, Onwe hit Jessica Adams (Nassau, NY/Columbia) home on a single to center field. Runs scored by Courtney Laughlin (Cohoes, NY/Cohoes) and Onwe off Lindsay Brace (Moriah, NY/Moriah Central) and Ford singles put Sage up 4-0 going into the third inning.
Brace was throwing a no-hitter till Valdes hit a single in the top of the fourth. The Panthers were able to get a runner in scoring position at second, but Brace and the Gator defense held off Old Westbury.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Gators woke up the bats. First, Onwe hit a leadoff home run over the left field fence to put the Gators up 5-0. Brace and Rimawi then scored on singles from Rimawi and Dunn respectively. With runners on first and second, Adams doubled to left field and plated Dunn to put Sage up 8-0. A Laughlin single to right field brought Adams and Kovage home, and the Gators went up 10-0. Sage held off the Old Westbury offense, and the game finished 10-0 in five innings.
Brace (8-4) picked up the win on a four strikeout effort while Fucci (3-8) was credited with the loss.
The Gators were led on offense by Rimawi (3-6, home run, three RBI's, two runs), Onwe (3-5, home run, two RBI's, two runs) and Laughlin (2-6, two RBI's, run).
Sage currently sits in second place in the Skyline with a 9-1 conference record. The Gators are behind Mount Saint Mary who have a perfect 13-0 conference record.
Sage returns to Robison Field tomorrow at noon for a Skyline doubleheader against Mount Saint Mary on Senior Day. The senior festivities will be begin at 11:45 a.m.
