North Adams, MA –Russell Sage College's softball team took two games from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts on Thursday afternoon. The Gators took game one, 10-5 and then posted 12-1 victory in five innings in the night cap. RSC has now won five straight games heading into this weekend's key Empire 8 double headers with St. John Fisher University and Nazareth College. RSC improves to 11-11, while MCLA drops to 6-19.
Game #1 RSC 10-5 MCLA
In the circle for RSC, rookie Leah Madore (Williamsville, VT/Brattleboro Union) struck out a career-high 10 batters in collecting the win, as she is now 6-4 on the year. She worked the complete game, her eighth of the year, while allowing four earned runs off nine hits.
Rookie infielder Ciana Santana (East Meadow, NY/East Meadow) was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored and an RBI. Rookie Amber Banas (Saugerties, NY/Saugerties) had two RBI's and a double, while graduate performer Taylor Dicranian (Bennington, VT/Mt. Anthony Union) was impressive at the plate going 2-for-4 with two RBI's and a pair of runs scored, while graduate player Arianna Papas (Castleton, NY/Maple Hill) was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a pair of RBI's.
Game #2 RSC 12-1 MCLA (5 Innings)
RSC combined for six stolen bases in the nightcap and had eight different players collect a hit as they had three doubles and a triple along the way.
Rookie Emma Heartquist (Stuyvesant, NY/Ichabod Crane) connected for a triple with a stolen base, while Papas, Dicranian, senior Katelyn Rice (Albany, NY/Colonie Central) all doubled. Senior Lauren Salmonese (Poughkeepsie, NY/Poughkeepsie) had a pair of RBI's, while Dicranian led the Gators with her three RBI's. Papas drew three walks and scored a pair of runs with two stolen bases.
Dicranian collected the win as she worked 4.0 innings with one earned run off four hits with one strikeout as she improves to 5-7. Sophomore Gabby Gellys (Washingtonville, NY/Washingtonville) worked the final inning with a pair of walks.
Two of the Gators continue to make their mark on the program's career record book. Graduate performers Taylor Dicranian and Arianna Papas are on a tear for RSC.
Dicranian continues to add to her record book rewriting as she has now made 83 appearances in the circle which is an active career high-water mark. She has 29 career wins which stands No. 2, while her 79 career strikeouts is ranked 16th. Her 375.1 innings pitched finds her now in second place on the career list as well. Her accomplishments are not limited to her work as a Gator pitcher. At the plate, her 45 career doubles is now second, while her 131 hits is tied for eighth and her 115 games played is 18th.
Papas, who was just named a NFCA Regional Player to Watch for Division III, now has 128 career hits and is ninth. She is also 10th with her 33 career doubles, while her nine triples is tied for fourth and her 10 career home runs is ninth and her 68 RBI's is 14th at RSC. She is also eighth now with her 86 career runs scored.
RSC returns to action on April 15 hosting St. John Fisher University in an Empire 8 double header slated for a 3:30 p.m. start at the Plumeri Complex.
