LOUDONVILLE, NY – Wrapping up a full weekend stale of conference action, Siena Softball won a pair of close contests to complete a series sweep over MAAC rival Canisius Sunday at Siena Softball Field. The Saints began the day by taking a 3-2 decision over the Golden Griffins in nine innings, and wrapped the doubleheader with a walk-off, 4-1 victory.
Game One – Siena 3, Canisius 2 (9)
Looking to continue momentum from an extra-inning win to end Friday's doubleheader over Fairfield, Siena (16-18, 8-4) used the long ball to get on the board in the bottom of the first inning. After freshman Yamila Evans reached base to begin the frame, senior Madysen Cossack blasted a ball over the right field fence to make it a 2-0 ballgame. The Golden Griffins responded with their own home run to left field in the following frame to get on the board and hold within a run though the opening innings. After leaving a pair of Saints on the corners to end the third, Canisius (8-27, 4-8) utilized a stolen base, sacrifice bunt and RBI single to tie the game at two in the top of the fourth.
Working behind the arm of junior Brooke Hughes and eventually classmate Maddie McMahon, the Saints left six Golden Griffins on the base paths in the final three innings of regulation, but could not break the tie with the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth, or with runners on the corners in the seventh. After each squad went down in four batters in the eighth, McMahon and the Siena defense retired the side in order to set up Evans to begin the bottom of the ninth with an infield single.
Two batters later, junior Lauren Sabihon doubled to left center to push Evans to third and set up a the game winning score following a throwing error, giving the Green and Gold their first back-to-back extra-inning victories since 2011. McMahon (8-6) earned the win with a pair of strikeouts over two-and-one-third shutout innings in the circle, while Hughes fanned three in a six-and-two-third inning no-decision.
Game Two – Siena 4, Canisius 1
Continuing their first Easter Sunday action since 2002, Siena entered into a pitcher's duel with Canisius to begin game two, with McMahon and Golden Griffin starter Lauren Castro each tossing four innings of scoreless ball to start. After senior Jess Vollmer kicked off the bottom of the fifth with the team's second three-bagger of the season, the Saints broke the scoreless tie, with Vollmer coming homer following an error at short with the bases loaded.
The lead would not last long for the Green and Golf, with Castro contributing at the plate with a home run that just made it over the center field wall in the following frame to knot it at one. After going down in order to end the sixth, the Saints allowed a double before McMahon retired the side with a strikeout looking to strand the potential go-ahead run. Siena then turned to a familiar face in the bottom of the seventh after Vollmer and freshman Sabrina Vargas reached base thanks to a single and an error at third, respectively.
Homering for the second straight game, Cossack wasted little time in giving the Saints their third straight win, sending a ball out of the park in left center for a three-run walk-off big fly after a five RBI day between both games. Pitching the last 9.1 innings of the afternoon, McMahon (9-6) tied her season-high for wins with her eighth complete game of 2019, striking out five and allowing just one earned run on six hits during that time.
Following their second doubleheader sweep of a MAAC opponent and third overall on the season, Siena will travel west to Hamilton, New York for a mid-week doubleheader at Colgate on Wednesday, April 24, with games slated for 3 PM & 5 PM. The Saints return home for more conference action next weekend against Rider and Monmouth, with the first series serving as the team's senior day on Saturday, April 27.
