Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Game 1 Box / Game 2 Box

CLERMONT, Fla. - The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) softball team split action in Florida on Thursday, falling to Keene State, 13-9, before battling back for a 12-1 win in five innings over SUNY Geneseo in the nightcap.  The Engineers move to 6-4 on the season and will play the final two games of their spring trip on Friday. RPI battles Bates and Plattsburgh at 5pm and 7pm, respectively.

After shouldering the earlier loss, the Engineers jumped out to a quick lead against the Knights as rookie Jocilyn Rudisill singled and later scored off a double from junior Gillian McCarthy.  The second inning saw RPI continue to roll as sophomore Tori Hunt led off the inning with a triple to left center and came in to score on a fielder's choice from classmate Jen Shields.  Senior Samantha Paulding later made it a 3-0 lead as Shields came around to score on her hit to the shortstop.

Rensselaer added two runs in the third before Geneseo changed up their pitching, bringing in junior Katie Gallagher. The Engineers continued to capitalize as Hunt was walked and then scored on triple from Shields.  After tacking on two more runs in the top of the fourth, RPI sent sophomore Charlene Osmanski to the circle.  Despite allowing the Knights their only run of the game, the Geneseo run was scored off an error.

Senior captain Kelly Erkert extended the Engineers lead in the top of the fifth with a two-run double and later scored on a single from Rudisill.  Following another pitching change by the Knights, McCarthy singled to bring in Rudisill.  Geneseo changed pitchers once again and the gamble paid off as Shields hit to the shortstop, who threw it to third and got McCarthy out.

Rudicill went 3 for 4 with three singles and four runs scored to pace the Engineers.  Additionally, McCarthy was 3 for 4 with a double and two singles.  Erkert, Hunt and Shields each added triples in the game.

In game one, Keene State scored 13 runs on 16 hits in its come-from-behind win over RPI.   The Owls got two runs in the top of the first, capitalizing with a bases loaded walk before adding another run on a fielder's choice. 
 
The Engineers responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the inning and broke out to a 7-2 advantage after two frames with a six-run effort in the second inning. Leading the way was sophomore Dani Grage, who scored the go-ahead run on a passed ball. Keene State battled back, grabbing three runs in the third on a two-run double from  freshman Sara Bracken and a single up the middle by junior Kayla Joyce.
 
In the fourth, the Owls continued to pressure and tacked on three more runs to grab an 8-7 lead.  Rensselaer answered in the bottom of the fourth, tying the game, but a three-run homerun off the bat of Laura Chandler in the fifth put Keene State back up 11-8.
 
The Owls added an RBI double and Bracken plated another run with a hard-hit ball to the Engineer's third baseman to make it 13-8 in the seventh.
 
McCarthy tried to pull it closer in the bottom of the inning as she doubled and later scored on a sacrifice fly from Grage, but Keene State held on for the final out and the win.