Box Score

TROY, N.Y. – Four players registered five points apiece as the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) softball team defeated Clarkson University, 18-3, this afternoon in the Liberty League finale for both schools. With the win, the Engineers improve to 11-4 overall and win their third straight regular season league title with a perfect 9-0 mark. The loss drops Clarkson to 5-12 overall and 2-7 in the conference.
 
After scoring the game's first three goals, RPI had some early difficulties pulling away, as the Golden Knights scored three of the next four times in the game, to pull within 4-3. Junior midfielder Cassie Grace (Potsdam, NY/Potsdam) netted two of the three goals to keep Clarkson in the game early.
 
Rensselaer junior Erin Riley (West Nyack, NY/Clarkstown South) gave the hosts a 5-3 cushion with 11 seconds to go in the first half, off a feed from sophomore Mackenzie O'Neil (Duxbury, MA/Milton Academy).
 
The second half was all Engineers, as RPI outscored the opposition 13-0. Junior Jamie Wakefield (Windsor, CT/Windsor) and sophomore Erin DeLucca (East Lyme, CT/East Lyme) scored less than a minute apart to make it 7-3, before freshman Sophie Hager (Northport, NY/Northport) scored her seventh of the season.
 
Leading 12-3, O'Neil got into the goal column with 16:33 to play, scoring three straight times, including her fifth goal of the year. DeLucca then notched her career-best fourth goal of the contest to make it 16-3.
 
Senior Meg Colitz (East Greenwich, RI/LaSalle Academy) capped the "Senior Day" victory by tallying the final two goals of the game. She finished with three goals and two assists, while Hager had a goal and a season-high four assists.
 
In goal, RPI junior Erin Amarello (Griswold, CT/St. Bernard School) made seven saves, while Clarkson senior Kara DiNatale (Auburn, NH/Manchester Memorial) had nine stops.
 
The Engineers return to action next weekend, when they play host the 2014 Liberty League Tournament. The semifinals take place on the Friday, with the league title game taking place on Saturday. Game times TBD.