Game 1 Box / Game 2 Box

TROY, N.Y. – Senior Beth Gargon (East Hampton, CT/East Hampton) went a combined 4 for 6 on the day to lead the Rensselaer softball team to a split of its non-league doubleheader with Utica College, this afternoon at Doris Robison Field. The Red Hawks, who won the first game 5-1, dropped game two, 4-1, to the Pioneers. RPI finishes its regular season with a 26-11 overall record (4-4 Liberty League), while Utica ends up 15-20 (2-10 Empire 8).

In the opener, the Pioneers scored what turned out to be their only run of the game in the first inning. Leadoff hitter Kim Martin (Prospect, NY/Holland Patent) walked and was sacrificed to second. After a Red Hawks’ error, Rinae Olsen (Schenectady/Schalmont) delivered an RBI single to left.

After three scoreless innings, Rensselaer put together its biggest inning of the day, scoring all five of its game-one runs in the fourth, to take a 5-1 lead. Junior Julianne Bass (Costa Mesa, CA/Newport Harbor) drove in the first two runs with a single, and was followed immediately by Gargon, who drove a three-run home run to left.

In the Utica fifth, Brittany Johnson (Endicott, NY/Union Endicott) and Madison Staie (Lafargeville, NY/Lafargeville Central School) singled and doubled, respectively, to put runners on second and third with nobody out. RPI freshman hurler Felicia Bua (Gilford, NH/Gilford) was able to get out of the inning with out any damage, getting a strikeout, a fielder’s choice to pick Johnson off of third, and fly out to right.

Bua allowed one run on three hits and a walk in picking up the 7.0 inning, complete game victory. She also struck out six. Gargon went 2 for 3 with a home run, a run scored and three runs batted in. Bass ended up 2 for 3 with a run and two RBI.

Staie took the loss from the circle, giving up five runs (4 earned) on seven hits and a walk over 4.0 innings of work. Olson went 1 for 3 with an RBI, and Martin finished 0 for 2 with a run.

Game two saw Utica score in the top of the first once again, as Martin singled, was sacrificed to second and finally driven home on a base hit by Abby Drew (South Glens Falls, NY/South Glens Falls).

The Pioneers struck again in the fourth, taking advantage of four consecutive walks to eventually plate three runs. Cecily Rowland (Queensbury, NY/Queensbury) picked up the RBI bases-loaded walk to score the first run of the inning. Kourtney Kupiec (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) then drove in two more with a single.

The Red Hawks scored their lone run in the fourth, as a Bass double to the gap in left-center chasing home Sara Finkbeiner (Napanoch, NY/Ellenville) who had reached on a bunt single.

RPI loaded the bases with nobody out in the fifth, but Utica starter Kristin Levin (Clifton Park, NY/Schenendehowa) worked her way out of the jam, getting two strikeouts and a lineout to first base. The Red Hawks filled the bases again in the sixth - this time with two outs - but Levin was able to induce a ground ball to end the inning. She allowed one run on six hits to earn the complete game win, striking out seven.

Drew went 3 for 4 with an RBI in game two, while Martin picked up two hits in four at bats.