NEWBURGH, NY – Freshman Kiersten Duncan (Millerton, NY/Taconic Hills) went 5-7 with three doubles and two RBI's in Sage's two wins over Farmingdale State and Mount Saint Vincent to advance to the Skyline Conference Championship game. The Gators beat Farmingdale 5-2 and Mount Saint Vincent 8-4.
In game one with the Rams of Farmingdale (15-18), Jennifer Onwe (Tarrytown, NY/Sleepy Hollow) plated Alexa Silk (Freehold, NY/Greenville) in the top of the second to put Sage (27-14) up 1-0. Farmindale tied the game 1-1 in the bottom of the third when Allison Dailey scored on a Marietta Silliman RBI.
In the top of the fifth, Sage retook the lead when Katy Rimawi scored on a Jessica Adams (Nassau, NY/Columbia) sacrifice fly to centerfield. The Gators extended their lead to 4-1 in the top of the sixth off Duncan and Allison Ford (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) RBI's.
The Rams responded in the bottom of the sixth when Silliman scored on wild pitch, but Sage added a fifth run when Courtney Laughlin (Cohoes, NY/Cohoes) hit a RBI single up the middle in the top of the seventh. Sage pitcher Lindsay Brace (Moriah, NY/Moriah Central) and the Gator defense held on in the bottom of the seventh to win 5-2.
Brace was credited with the win on a complete-game, eight strikeout effort while Jaxie Collard (15-13) picked up the loss with three strikeouts.
In game two with Mount Saint Vincent (21-17), the Dolphins got off to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Samantha Broo scored on a Sage fielding error. They added a second run in the bottom of the third when Rachel Heizer scored on a Kathryn Dalton single through the left side.
The Gators got on the board when Morgan Dunn (Cohoes, NY/Cohoes) scored on a Katie Kovage (Hoosick Falls, NY/Hoosick Falls Central) sacrifice fly to centerfield. Mount Saint Vincent extended its lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the fifth on Katie Moos and Heizer RBI doubles.
In the top sixth inning, Sage rallied seven runs when Dunn, Adams, Samantha Dibbell (Hunter, NY/HunterTannersville Central), Silk, Ford, Laughlin and Duncan scored on a series of Dolphin errors along with Duncan and Rimawi RBI's.
Brace (11-5) picked up the win for Sage in relief while Dalton (7-5) got the loss.
The Gators were led on offense by Duncan (5-6, two runs, two RBI's), Rimawi (2-7, three RBI's, run), Silk (3-8, four runs) and Ford (3-7, run, RBI).
The Gators advance to the Skyline Conference Championship Series on the campus of Mount Saint Mary on May 7 with Mount Saint Mary. The first game is set to begin at 11 a.m. If Sage wins, a second game will be played to determine the Skyline Champion.
