LOUDONVILLE, NY - Facing a quick turnaround after splitting a MAAC doubleheader at Niagara in Western New York Saturday afternoon, Siena Softball split their first action with Holy Cross since 2016 Sunday at the Siena Softball Field. The Saints used a late rally to hold off the Crusaders, 6-2, in game one, before falling to a back-and-forth affair in game two, 9-7.
Game One – Siena 6, Holy Cross 2
After cruising to a 1-2-3 inning to begin the game defensively, Siena (9-15, 2-2) took an early lead by playing a pair in the home half of the first inning, with sophomore Isabelle DeChiaro shooting a double out to left field to score junior Lauren Sabihon and freshman Yamila Evans. Holy Cross (5-24) responded with a pair of their own in the next frame, with an RBI double down the right field line and back-to-back sacrifice bunts knotting the game at two just an inning-and-a-half in.
The two squad would the duel defensively and place just four combined runners on base until the bottom of the fifth, when the Saints connected for a three-hit inning to re-take the lead. After senior Jess Vollmer singled to right field to start, Evans doubled deep to center field to send in the run and made her way to third on an ensuring wild pitch. DeChiaro then sent in Evans with a single two batters later to cement a three RBI day. After stranding a pair of Holy Cross runners on, Cossack used a single to right field to add a pair of Siena insurance runs to the board in the bottom of the sixth, with Vollmer and senior Jessika Jaime crossing the plate to give the game its final score.
Appearing in what would be her fourth of five consecutive game appearances to-date, junior right-hander Brooke Hughes (4-6) earned her second consecutive win in the circle for the Green and Gold, allowing just a pair of earned runs and striking out one batter in five inning to start. Freshman Sarah Dowalo came in for the final two innings, helping to give the Saints their second straight victory and earning her first career save.
Game Two – Holy Cross 9, Siena 7
Both teams entered game two with the bats ready to go, with five combined runs going up on the board in the first inning of play. The Crusaders shook off five scoreless innings dating back to game one with a pair of runs off four hits in the top of the first, with an RBI single following a three-bagger that put the visitors on the board. The Saints countered with three of their own in the home half of the frame, amounting five hits and causing a Holy Cross pitching change after just one out. Following three straight hits to start, junior Patricia Kalesse walked home with the bases loaded, while Cossack scored on an RBI single to left center from junior Amanda Dodson. Following the new arm in the circle for the Crusaders, freshman Sabrina Vargas plated the go-ahead run on a single down the right field line, allowing Sabihon to score from third.
Holy Cross gave the game its second tie of the day immediately after, with designated player Erin Bengston homering to right field with one out in the top of the third to make it three all. After a clean bottom frame, the Crusaders used more situational hitting to take the lead, moving over and scoring a runner on back-to-back sacrifice bunts. Despite leaving a pair on in the bottom of the third, the bats would emerge for the saints in the fourth inning, with five hits signaling a four-run frame and another lead change. Four straight scoring plays brought in runs, with DeChiaro and junior Kelly Rasulo notching RBI singles, Dodson slamming a double to left center and Vargas laying down a sacrifice bunt to get the job done.
The middle inning lead for Siena would be short lived however, as the Crusaders would plate five runs over the next two frames to keep the lead for good. Following back-to-back singles to start the fifth, a throwing error, sacrifice fly and a single, with a runner halted at the plate in-between knotted the game up at seven after five. A one-out fielding error and a hit batter brought the end of the day for Siena starter Maddie McMahon (3-6), but Hughes could not end the bleeding after entering, letting up a double steal and a 2 RBI game-winning single down the right field line thereafter. Siena loaded up the bases in the bottom of the frame, but was held without avail, and managed just a leadoff runner in the seventh.
Following the doubleheader split and eight games in the last week, Siena will take to the road for a mid-week doubleheader at Syracuse on Wednesday, with action set to begin at 4 PM and 6 PM, respectively.
