Softball Splits Doubleheader at Saint Rose

Box Score - Game 1; Box Score - Game 2 

Rotterdam, N.Y. - The American International College softball team split a doubleheader at Saint Rose Wednesday, winning game-one 10-2 before losing game-two 5-4. The Yellow Jackets are now 12-15 on the season and 3-9 in the Northeast-10, while the Golden Knights moved to 6-12 overall and 3-5 in conference play. Junior Sara Puglisi (Amsterdam, N.Y.) allowed just two runs on seven hits with two strikeouts to pick up the win in the pitcher's circle in game-one.

Game-one was tied 1-1 when AIC broke the game open with four runs in the top of the fourth inning to take a 5-1 lead. The Yellow Jackets loaded the bases with two outs and took the lead for good when sophomore Sara Swepston (Dallas, Pa.) drew a walk to score junior Deanna Zanetti (Hampden, Mass.) from third.

Sophomore Michelle Franey (Abington, Mass.) followed with an RBI-single to through the left side of the infield to plate sophomore Katie Elie (Worcester, Mass.) and classmate Nicole Benoit (Walpole, Mass.) and senior Nicole Litz (Rotterdam, N.Y.) scored on back-to-back errors to cap the scoring in the inning.

The Golden Knights got one run back in the bottom half of the inning of the inning when junior Cara Piccarreto (Rochester, N.Y.) reached on an error and later scored as classmate Katie Wiemann (Huntington Station, N.Y.) grounded out to Puglisi, but that was as close as they would get as AIC tacked on five more runs in the seventh to put the game out of reach.

Zanetti went 2 for 4 in game one for AIC, including a two-RBI double in the top of the seventh, and scored two runs. Elie and Litz also crossed the plate twice in the game.

The Yellow Jackets trailed 2-1 heading into the top of the sixth in game-two before striking for three runs to take a 4-2 lead as Swepston scored on an error and Zanetti delivered a two-RBI double to left center field that scored Benoit and junior Tara Gorenc (Southwick, Mass.).

Saint Rose rallied in the bottom of the seventh of game-two for three runs to earn a split with the Yellow Jackets. The first three Golden Knight batters reached base and scored two runs when freshman Nicole Traylor (Syracuse, N.Y.) was hit by a pitch and Piccarreto walked with one out. Traylor later scored the game-winning run on junior Jamie Clark's (Colonie, N.Y.) single down the left field line.

Junior Tracey Chesebrough (Duanesburg, N.Y.) went the distance for Saint Rose, allowing three earned runs on seven hits with 14 strikeouts. Senior Megan Nickerson (Greenfield, Mass.) took the loss after entering the game with two on and nobody out and allowed both inherited runners to score.

Swepston went 3 for 4 at the plate in game-two with a run scored for AIC and senior Tara DeMontier (Amesbury, Mass.) went 2 for 3 with an RBI. Sophomore Amanda Morano (Highland, N.Y.) and Wiemann had two hits each for the Golden Knights.

The Yellow Jackets will next host a doubleheader against Pace Friday starting at 3 p.m. at Groff Field.