Siena Softball continued to climb up the MAAC softball standings Sunday, completing its first conference doubleheader sweep of the 2019 campaign at Quinnipiac. The Saints stormed into Hamden, Connecticut and took home 4-2 and 7-1 decisions, giving them three of four out of a pair of pivotal league road doubleheaders on the weekend.
 
Game One – Siena 4, Quinnipiac 2
 
Building off momentum from a doubleheader-ending victory at conference foe Marist the night before, the Saints used early-inning offense to carry them to the finish line. After each team left a runner on in the opening frame, Siena (12-16, 5-3) placed three on the board in the top of the second inning, including a pair of RBI to the card of senior Madysen Cossack. After sophomore Neysa Ouellette reached home on an error from the pitcher, Cossack allowed freshman Sabrina Vargas and senior Jessika Jaime to score off an infield single to the shortstop. After sitting down the next three batters in order, Jaime made it a four-run lead with a double down the right field line that scored junior Amanda Dodson in the top of the third.
 
After six and one-third scoreless innings defensively from junior Brooke Hughes in the circle, the Bobcats attempted to mount a comeback, pushing across a pair on a two-out RBI double to left field that prompted junior Maddie McMahon to enter the game. The left-hander succeeded in earning her second save of the season, inducing a line out to cement the win. Hughes (5-7) struck out three and allowed just one free pass in the win.
 
Game Two – Siena 7, Quinnipiac 1
 
The Saints wrapped up their first regular season sweep over the Bobcats by breaking out for a season-best three home runs, with the first two coming in the top of the third inning. After clean frames in three of the first four half-innings, Cossack (5) and junior Lauren Sabihon (2) launched back-to-back two-out big-flies out of the QU Softball Field to put the Green and Gold on the board. The home team kept it close through the middle innings, scoring off an RBI double in the bottom of the fourth innings.
 
Working behind a seven strikeout complete game effort in the circle from McMahon (5-6), Jaime helped Siena add to its lead by allowing Dodson to come in on a sacrifice fly in the top of the sixth inning. The top of the seventh proved to be the breakout frame for the Saints, with senior Loryn DeFalco kicking of a three-run rope with an RBI single to centerfield that sent home Cossack. The highlight at-bat of the came from Ouelette, who launched her first career home run in the form of a three-run shot to pad the score. Cossack moved into second place in program history in total bases following the performance, while McMahon entered the career top-10 in innings pitched.
 
Now tied for their longest winning streak of the season with three straight, the Saints will now return to the Capital Region for a six-game home stand, with the latter four contests coming in the form of conference doubleheaders this weekend. Siena hosts Hartford for doubleheader action at the Siena Softball field on Tuesday, April 16, with first pitch for game one set for 3 PM.