April 22, 2014
Box Score | Photo Gallery 
LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. - The Siena softball team powered their way past Sacred Heart on Tuesday as the Saints tied the program single season record with 22 wins after winning 3-1 in game one and 3-2 in dramatic fashion on a walk-off double by Alyssa Lancaster in the bottom of the eighth.
Game One
In the first game of the doubleheader, the Saints (21-17, 8-2) were powered by Paige Lloyd in the third inning when she sent the pitch over the leftfield fence, breaking the scoreless tie. Lloyd hit the ball hard in every at-bat, but only managed to record one hit, the homerun to left.
Jessika - Jo Sandrini started in the circle for the Saints and she was dominant from the first inning. Sandrini pitched the complete game, giving up three hits, one unearned run while striking out seven batters and allowing zero free bases. Sandrini's win is her 16th of the season and a new career high for wins in a single season. Sandrini's seven strikeouts puts her 13 strikeouts away from tying her single season strikeout record of 135.
Sandrini also recorded a multi-hit game at the plate, going 2-3 with two singles.
Sacred Heart tied the game up on a costly error by Paige Lloyd in the sixth inning, but the Saints kept calm and responded with a two run bottom of the sixth. Jessika - Jo Sandrini led off the inning with a frozen rope line drive single to centerfield. Jordan Sandrini followed up with a single of her own. Chelsey Drew took the first pitch she saw to right center field to give the Saints a 2-1 lead. Jordan Sandrini scored later on the defensive throw to second base in an attempt to catch Mackenzie Cronin from stealing second base.
Sandrini shutout the Pioneers in the top of the seventh to preserve the 3-1 win.
Game Two
The second game went the same way as the first. The Saints opened the game up strong with a two run home run by Mikaela Searight in the bottom of the second inning to give the Saints an early lead.
The Pioneers tied the game up at 2-2 with a couple errors and timely hitting off of Edwards. Danielle Cacciola relieved Edwards, striking out the Victoria D'Addario for the final out of the inning.
With runners on first and second, Stephanie Viggiano stepped to the plate with one out and hit a bloop single out of the reach of the pitcher and loaded the bases. With two outs, Jessika-Jo Sandrini sent the pitch to the right center fence for the long out.
A lead-off double by Noelle Cahill put pressure on the Saints' defense. A strikeout and a sac bunt advanced Cahill to third and Cacciola kept the Pioneers off the board after Nadler grounded out to Viggiano.
Freshman Bridget Connors doubled off the left field wall to give the Saints two base runners, but was unable to convert, leaving two runners on base. A scoreless seventh inning would bring the Saints to play their second extra inning game this season.
In the bottom of the eighth, Alyssa Lancaster reenters to bat with a runner on second. Lancaster didn't wait long to end the game as she sent a 1-0 pitch to the left field fence, scoring Melanie Kalesse for the win.
The win gives the Saints a 22-17 record and ties the program's record for wins in a single season. Siena finished the 2005 campaign with a 22-27 record.
Softball is back at home again this Thursday for more nonconference action when they play Cornell. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
