TROY, N.Y. – The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) softball team continued their winning ways in 2023, as they swept the SUNY Cortland Red Dragons in a doubleheader at Doris Robison Field by final scores of 8-1 and 3-2 on Tuesday afternoon. With the wins, RPI improves to 13-5 overall, while the Red Dragons fall to 11-9 overall.
 
Game 1
Alexis Cooke supplied six innings in the circle, scattering five hits and allowing just one run in earning her fourth win of the season. Three Engineers finished the game with two hits apiece, while Gabby Comeau supplied three RBI.
 
After two innings of scoreless play, the Engineers got on the board courtesy of a solo home run from Maddie Brooks over the left field fence for a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third. A second run came into score later in the inning after an error by the Cortland short stop brought in Erin Askins to give RPI the 2-0 lead.
 
RPI kept the Red Dragons off the board in the top of the fourth as well before putting up a five-run bottom of the inning to go up 7-0. The first two runs of the inning scored on errors, while the big hit of the inning came off the bat of Comeau - a double to left that scored a pair.
 
Cortland broke through with a run in the top of the sixth inning, as a single by McKenna Barry scored Halle Wright for the first run against Cooke.
 
Alex Ledger delivered the icing on the game in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI single to center field scoring Megan Wampner to make it 8-1 RPI before Brooke Sroczinski closed the door in the Red Dragons in the top of the seventh.
 
Game 2
RPI opened the scoring in the bottom of the first, as Comeau once again supplied an RBI. Her shot down the right field line scored Askins from second – who stole a base after reaching on an opening walk.
 
Brooks hit the ball hard once again in the second inning, as she lined a ball out of the reach of the Cortland third baseman down the left field line, scoring Evann McDowell from second to give the Engineers a 2-0 lead.
 
Cortland got on the board in the third inning, as Gina Meyers singles home Shannon Scotto to pull within a run, 2-1. However, Brooks responded back once again in the bottom of the fourth with another RBI knock, this time a single through the left side to give RPI some cushion at 3-1.
 
The Red Dragons once again pulled within a run after putting a run across in the top of the fifth, with Halle Wright knocking a single through the left side of the infield, scoring pinch runner Megan LaMont to make the score 3-2.
 
Sroczinski once again came onto pitch in relief for the Engineers, taking over for Erika Holowka who pitched 4.2 innings giving up the two runs and six hits while striking out four. Sroczinski pitched the final 2.1 innings, holding down the fort through the final out – a highlight catch from Callista Adorno in right field with the tying run for Cortland on second base in the top of the seventh.
 
The Engineers return to action tomorrow, Wednesday, April 12 at 3 p.m. when they head to Utica for a make-up date with the Pioneers.