Game 1 Box / Game 2 Box

TROY, N.Y. – Junior centerfielder Sara Finkbeiner (Napanoch, NY/Ellenville) went 5 for 6 at the plate and made a superb catch in the field to lead the Rensselaer softball team to a Liberty League opening sweep of St. Lawrence, this afternoon at Doris Robison Field. The Red Hawks, whose victories came by scores of 10-2 and 8-0, have now won 13 straight games. They improve to 19-3 on the season (2-0 Liberty League), while the Saints fall to 3-13 (0-2 Liberty).

Game one saw St. Lawrence take a brief lead in top of the first inning, when sophomore Molly Swan (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) drew a bases loaded walk. The run was set up by back-to-back hits by freshman Melissa Rogers (Clarence, NY/Clarence) and sophomore Jessica Manderfield (Davisburg, MI/Athens) and walk issued to junior Meghan Richardson (Canton, NY/Hugh C. Williams). Swan then drew the free pass and picked up the run batted in.

The Red Hawks answered in the bottom of the first, scoring four times. Finkbeiner led off the inning with a walk, and moved to second a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Becky Bailey (Rome, NY/Holland Patent). Rensselaer then rattled off four straight hits, including an RBI double by senior Beth Gargon (East Hampton, CT/East Hampton), to take a 4-1 lead.

The Saints scored a run in the second on a sacrifice fly to center off the bat of Manderfield. Sophomore Amy Atkins (Westerlo, NY/Doane Stuart) led off the inning with a base hit, and moved to third after a pair of walks. Manderfield’s drive plated Atkins from third, but freshman Kailey Peska (Forest Grove, OR/Forest Grove) was cut down attempting to advance from second to third to end the inning.

RPI then added one in the third and four in the fourth, before forcing the mercy rule with a run in the bottom of the fifth. A two-run home run off the bat of freshman Jen Bach (Lansdale, PA/Gwynedd Mercy Academy) and a two-run double by senior Logan Russell (Cranbury, NJ/Princeton) highlighted the four-run fourth.

Bach led the Red Hawks offensively, going 3 for 4 with a home run, two runs scored and three runs batted in. Gargon went 2 for 2 with three runs and an RBI. Junior starting pitcher Michelle Street (E. Syracuse, NY/E. Syracuse-Minoa) allowed two runs on three hits in three innings of work. She struck out four and walked four. Freshman Felicia Bua (Gilford, NH/Gilford) pitched two perfect innings of relief, striking out three.

In game two, The Red Hawks scored all eight runs in the bottom of the first. Only one of the eight runs allowed by Saints pitcher Rachel Duffany (Watertown, NY/Watertown) was earned as St. Lawrence made three errors through the first four batters. RPI freshman Genevieve Falco (Seaford, NY/Seaford) highlighted the inning with a three-run home run.

Sophomore right-hander Michelle Bianchetti (Highland Hills, NY/John S. Burke Catholic) picked up the five-inning shutout win, completing the mercy rule-shortened affair. She allowed just three hits, while striking out four. The Red Hawks played excellent defense behind Bianchetti, including a diving effort by Finkbeiner near the warning track in center. At the dish, Finkbeiner finished the doubleheader 5 for 6, with four runs scored.

RPI returns to action on Tuesday when it visits Springfield College for a doubleheader (3:30pm).