TROY, N.Y. – The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) softball team pounded out 34 hits to earn a pair of come-from-behind wins in sweeping Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in a Liberty League doubleheader, on Sunday afternoon at Doris Robison Field. With wins of 14-3 and 13-5 (both in five innings), the Engineers improve to 14-10 overall (2-0 Liberty League), while the Tigers drop to 5-11 (0-2 Liberty League).
RIT took an early lead in the opener, when Maddy Cook came around to score on a double to the gap in left by Alexis Smith. Two innings, later, Kylie Aquaro and Smith doubled to drive in two more runs for a 3-0 lead.
The Engineers then exploded for their biggest inning of the year in the fourth, scoring 10 runs on nine hits and two Tigers errors. Four runs came after two were out, as
Madie Campagna and Erin Akins each plated two with base hits.
Gabby Comeau came through with a double to straight away center to score Askins, before
Caroline Peel delivered a two-run double to right, bringing across
Brooke Sroczinski and
Liv Vizzini.
Comeau then brought the game to early ending, hitting a grand slam in the fifth.
Junior righthander
Alexis Cooke (5-5) went the distance for the Engineers, allowing three runs on four hits over 5.0 innings. She struck out seven and walked two. Crystal Madore (3-6) surrendered 14 runs (13 earned) on 13 hits over 4.1 innings.
In the nightcap, RPI scored first, getting a run in the bottom of the first on an Askins double that scored
Jessica Torch.
RIT came back to take a 2-1 lead in the top of the third, thanks to an RBI single from Cook and an Aquaro base hit through the left side of the infield that scored Cook.
Rensselaer once again put together big innings late, scoring five in the fourth to retake the lead.
Mikayla O'Neill led off the frame by hitting her first collegiate home run to knot the score at 2-2. Torch then reached on an infield single, stole second and came across on a wild pitch, before Vizzini plated two with a double to center. Campagna then put the Engineers up 6-2 with a run-scoring double to left.
The Tigers answered with a three-run top of the fifth, pulling to within 6-5. Smith scored two with a double to the left center field gap, before an error allowed another run to come home. Sroczinski entered the game with one out in the frame and was able to get RPI off the field with the lead still intact.
RPI put up seven in its half of the fifth to end the contest early once again. Askins got the scoring started with a two-run single up the middle, before Comeau doubled home a run. An infield single from Peel followed, before
Ryleigh Greenwald plated two more with a double to left. O'Neill ended things when she reached on a single into the hole on the left side, scoring Campagna from third.
Erika Holowka (6-3) collected the victory in the circle for RPI, giving up five runs (4 earned) on eight hits over 4.1 innings. She struck out five and walked one. Sroczinski picked up her second save of the year, striking out two.
The Engineers are back on the diamond tomorrow afternoon, when they host the University of Rochester (2pm). RIT visits Keuka College for two on Tuesday (3pm).
