April 10, 2011
Final Stats
Jessika-Jo Sandrini went all nine innings in the opener and allowed just one unearned, and Shannon Jones had three hits, including her seventh home run of the season, and drove home five runs as Siena slugged its way to a 9-3 win in the nightcap to complete a doubleheader sweep of visiting Rider Sunday in Loudonville.
The two teams battled fearsome winds all afternoon.
Siena won the first game with a two-out rally in the bottom of the ninth. It was the second straight game the Saints went deep into extra innings, losing 4-3 in 12 innings in the backend of a doubleheader with Fairfield Saturday.
With two outs and nobody on in the ninth, Sandrini was hit by a pitch and Samantha Ray followed with a single to third base. Jones walked and Sara Gallacchi stepped to the plate with the bases full. She worked the count full, and then took ball four high to bring home the winning run.
Rachael Matreale suffered the hard luck loss for the Broncs, going 8.2 innings and allowing juts on earned run.
Sandrini was spectacular in the circle for the Saints, collecting six strikeouts, and evening her season record at 7-7.
The bats arrived in game two, as Siena jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in its first at bat on an RBI double by Jones, an RBI groundout by Kayla Kaminski and a two-out RBI single by Courtney Brinkman.
Rider got on the board with a run in the second, but Jones delivered an RBI single in the bottom of the inning to make it a 4-1 lead. With the score 4-2 in the bottom of the fourth, and two runners on base, Jones got hold on a fastball, and drilled a rising line drive that easily cleared the right centerfield wall and gave Siena a safe 7-2 advantage.
Amanda Filippazzo picked up the victory with a gutty effort in the circle for the Saints. Filippazzo had pitched all 12 innings in Saturday's loss, but went the distance again and allowed just one earned run.
Ray had two hits in each game for the Saints, and scored three times in the nightcap. Kaminski also posted a multi-hit nightcap.
The victories were huge for Siena, which had lost its first four league games, and now moves within striking distance of the critical top four. The Saints will travel to Manhattan and Saint Peter's next weekend.
