ELON, NC – Siena Softball (1-3) battled to a doubleheader split Sunday morning to conclude opening weekend play at the Phoenix Invitational in Elon, North Carolina. The Saints dropped a 1-0 decision to Radford before cruising to a 6-3 win over Morgan State for their first victory of the 2020 season.
Game One – Radford 1, Siena 0
The Saints engaged in a low-scoring pitcher's dual to begin their re-match with Radford in the morning matinee of the day's action. The Highlanders out-hit the Saints, 6-4, while pitcher Jessie Marvin (1-1) picked up a complete game shutout win in the circle behind nine strikeouts. The lone score of the game in the top of the sixth off a bases-loaded RBI single.
The Saints put runners on-base in each of the final three innings but left seven on base and could not close the gap. Junior transfer Taylor Rhinehart (0-2) took the ball for the second straight contest, allowing the only earned run on four hits with three strikeouts in five one one-third innings in the circle. Freshman Nicole Patille struck out a batter in one and two-thirds frames of relief.
Game Two – Siena 6, Morgan State 3
Siena's offense woke up in their next contest of the day, with the Saints putting out to a 4-0 advantage after two innings of play. Freshman Kaitlyn Davis kicked off what would be a four-RBI day with a bases-clearing double to left center to send home sophomore Sabrina Vargas, junior Isabelle DeChiaro and senior Kelly Rasulo. Davis was sent home on the next at-bat by classmate Antonia Alba, who notched the first RBI in her career with a single.
The Bears responded in the top half of the next frame, with a run scoring on a fielding error which made it a 4-1 ballgame. Working behind a solid complete game performance in the circle from senior right-hander Maddie McMahon (1-1), The Saints added insurance runs off a Davis sacrifice fly in the fourth and an RBI single from DeChiaro in the fifth. Morgan State sent tow more runs in with an RBI single in the top of the fifth but left three runners on in the final two innings.
McMahon registered her 27th complete game for the Saints, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits with four strikeouts and three walks. Morgan State's Mikala Barnard (0-1) was tagged with the complete game loss, surrendering six earned runs on 10 hits with one strikeout.
Siena will now enter a three-week hiatus before resuming non-conference play in March. The Saints will next head to Harrisonburg, VA to take part in the JMU Invitational March 6-8.
