Rochester, NY–Russell Sage College's softball team travelled to Nazareth College for a pair of Empire 8 games with the Golden Flyers. The Gators needed extra innings in the first game but came away with a 5-3 victory in eight innings. RSC took the nightcap, 10-9 to sweep Nazareth. RSC is now 7-1 overall and 7-1 in the E8, while Nazareth is 2-10 overall and 2-8 in the E8.
Game #1 Sage 5-3 Nazareth (8 innings)
The Gators once again came through in extra innings as junior outfielder Arianna Papas (Castleton, NY/Maple Hill) led off the top of the eighth inning as she reached on a fielding error at third. Junior Taylor Dicranian (Bennington, VT/Mt. Anthony Union) flew out to center field, before senior infielder Emily Agate (Franklin Square, NY/H. Frank Carey) had an RBI double down the left field line to drive in Papas and give the Gators a 4-3 lead. Sophomore Makayla Lindsey (New Fairfield, CT/New Fairfield) added an RBI single to drive in Agate and give the Gators the 5-3 lead.
Dicranian picked up a complete game win in the circle as she allowed just two earned runs off 13 hits with a walk and a strikeout. She worked 8.0 innings and improved to 5-1.
At the plate, Agate was 2/4 with a run scored, three RBI's and a double, while Papas was 2/4 with two runs scored and a double. Sophomore Katelyn Rice (Albany, NY/Colonie Central) was 2/4 as well with a run scored, while Lindsey was ¼ with an RBI as well.
Game # 2 RSC 10-9 NAZARETH
In a see-saw battle, the Gators managed to rally and come up with the 10-9 win for the sweep.
Papas had another banner performance as she was 2/4 with two runs scored, 5 RBI's and two home runs. She added a two-run shot in the first inning and a three run shot in the fourth inning the help the Gators at the plate.
RSC got doubles from Rice, Dicranian, and Agate, while rookie Isabella Vano (Yorktown Heights, NY/Yorktown) added a three-run home run in the fourth inning as well and was 2/4 with two runs scored.
Lindsey worked 4.2 innings for the Gators with five earned runs off nine hits with 5 walks and three strikeouts. Dicranian came in and worked 2.1 innings with one earned run off four hits and earned the win as she is now 6-1.
