DICRANIAN TOSSES NO-HITTER AS RSC SWEEPS ELMIRA TO EARN NO. 2 SEED IN E8 TOURNAMENT
Elmira, NY–Russell Sage College's softball team travelled to Elmira College for the team's 2021 Empire 8 regular-season finale. In the first game of the doubleheader, RSC's junior pitcher Taylor Dicranian (Bennington, VT/Mt. Anthony Union) tossed her first career no-hitter as the Gators beat Elmira, 5-0. The Gators needed a late-game rally but plated six runs in the top of the seventh inning to earn a 10-5 victory.
With the win, the Gators finish their 2021 Empire 8 slate of games at 16-4, which gives the team the No. 2 seed in the Empire 8 Tournament. The berth is the first in the team's history and the Gators have earned a first-round bye.
2021 Empire 8 Softball Tournament Seeds
1. St. John Fisher College (19-1)
2. Russell Sage College (16-4)
3. Alfred University (15-5)
4. Utica College (8-12)
5. Keuka College (8-12)
6. Elmira College (5-15)
Game #1 RSC 5-0 Elmira
The two teams played to a scoreless game through six innings before the Gators scored all five of their runs in the top of the seventh inning. Dicranian worked the complete game no-hitter as she worked all seven innings to improve to 13-2. She was also 2/4 at the plate with a double.
Senior Emily Agate (Franklin Square, NY/H. Frank Carey) had a double and was 1/3 with two RBI's to pace the team. Junior Arianna Papas (Castleton, NY/Maple Hill) was 2/4 at the plate with a run scored, an RBI and two stolen bases.
Game # 2 RSC 10-5 Elmira
The Gators jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first as Dicranian belted her first career homerun, a solo shot to spot the team to an early lead.
Elmira added four runs in the bottom of the second inning to take a 4-1 lead. RSC cut the lead to 4-3 when sophomore Makayla Lindsey (New Fairfield, CT/New Fairfield) had an RBI single to center field to drive in Dicranian.
The Gators went into the top of the seventh down, 5-4 when the team combined to score six runs in the inning off five hits and made the most of two Elmira errors.
Lindsey finished the game with a ¾ effort at the plate with two runs scored, three RBI's and a home run. Dicranian was 2/4 with three runs scored and an RBI with her solo homer in the first inning. Sophomore Lauren Salmonese (Poughkeepsie, NY/Pougkeepsie) had a double as well for the Gators.
Lindsey made the start for the Gators, working 1.1 innings with three earned runs off one hit, before Dicranian came in the game as the pitcher and worked 5.2 innings. She collected the victory after allowing just two earned runs off five hits. She improves to 14-2 on the season, elevating her career resume to include
On the season, Papas leads the Gators with her 43 hits, which is now 23rd in RSC single-game performances, while adding 8 doubles, which stands 24th best as well. Agate continues to add career resume as she now has 15 career doubles which ranks 17th best in the career record book.
Dicranian has moved to the 10th spot on the team's career record book as she sports 15 career victories, while having also working in 168.2 innings which is 17th best.
