Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

TROY, N.Y. – The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) softball team scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to earn a doubleheader split with Williams College at Doris Robison Field. After falling in game one, 5-1, the Engineers came-from-behind twice to win game two, 9-8. With the split, Rensselaer moves to 18-8 overall, while the Ephs are now 11-16.

The visitors grabbed a 3-0 lead early in game two, thanks to RBI-singles from senior Merrilee Weston (Stamford, CT/Trinity Catholic), junior Ali Graebner (Short Hills, NJ/Millburn) and freshman Kacey Cramer (Houston, TX/Episcopal).

Rensselaer answered in the bottom of the third, scoring seven runs on seven hits. The frame was highlighted by a bases-clearing triple off the bat of sophomore Jena Servidone (East Greenbush, NY/Columbia). The drive game the Engineers a 7-3 advantage after three.

Williams jumped back into the game, scoring three runs in the top of the fifth on a squeeze bunt and a run-scoring single by Graebner. Senior Kaitlin Dinet (Pearl River, NY/Pearl River) capped the rally by taking a pitch on the arm with the bases loaded. RPI sophomore Kristina Weltzin was able to strike out pinch hitter Lindsey Precht (Miami Lakes, FL/Gulliver Prep) swinging to get out of the jam with a 7-6 lead.

The Ephs took the lead in the top of the sixth, as an RBI-single from Graebner was followed by a wild pitch to make it 8-7 visitors.

After an RPI threat in the bottom of the sixth went by the wayside, and Williams went down 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh, the stage was set for the bottom half of the stanza.

Junior Charlene Osmanski (Elmhurst, IL/York) led off the inning by drawing a five-pitch walk. Freshman Taylor Ten Eyck (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) then attempted to lay down a sacrifice bunt, but pinch runner Sheena McNeil (Urbana, IL/Urbana) beat Ephs' throw to second, leaving runners on first and second with nobody out.

A successful sac bunt was made by junior Dani Grage (Pittsford, NY/Pittsford Mendon) pushing the runners to second and third with one away. Servidone then got about to load the bases for senior pinch hitter Caitlin McGivern (Bethlehem, PA/Notre Dame). McGivern lifted a single to right, which tied the game at 8-8. Sophomore Kathleen Baker (Airmont, NY/Suffern) then tapped one in front of the plate for a force out at home, but the ball was then thrown wide of first, allowing Servidone to score all the way from second.

In game one, Williams scored score three first-inning runs on just one hit, before starting pitcher Megan Casey (Greenwood Village, CO/Regis Jesuit) shut down RPI offensively, allowing an unearned run on three hits over 7.0 innings.

For RPI, Weltzin went 3.1 innings, allowing five runs (2 earned) on five hits. She struck out three and walked three. At the plate, senior Gillian McCarthy (Worthington, OH/Thomas Worthington) picked up two of the Engineers three hits, going 2 for 3.

Weston led the Ephs in game one going 3 for 4 with a run and an RBI.

The Engineers are back on the diamond this Saturday and Sunday, when they travel to RIT and Rochester, respectively. First pitch is set for 1pm on both days.