CARY, NC - Siena softball (3-8) got back in the win column Tuesday, recording a mid-week doubleheader sweep of North Carolina Central at Thomas Brooks Park in Cary, NC. The Saints recorded an 11-2 win in game one, while competing the sweep with an 11-2 victory in game two.

The Green and Golf ended a five-game losing skid while improving to 3-0 all-time against the Eagles. The doubleheader went down as the Saints' most dominant performance in back-to-back bouts with an opponent since 12-1 & 14-6 wins over Howard in March of 2014.

Game 1 – Siena 11, North Carolina Central 2 (6)

En-route to its first run-rule performance of the season, Siena put up four runs in to the top of the first inning to immediately take the lead. Senior Lauren Sabihon sent home junior Isabelle DeChiaro with the first of five RBI doubles for the team, while junior Taylor Rhinehart began a 5 RBI contest by sending in Sabihon & freshman Angelina Stile.
Following a run scored by the Eagles off an RBI single in the home half of the first inning, the Saints added four insurance runs in the top half of the second. Freshman Antonia Alba sent in sophomore Sabrina Vargas with an RBI ground out, while Stile doubled to left center to plate classmate Maritza Diaz and Rhinehart launched the team's first triple of the year to score Stile & DeChiaro.

NCCU would score for the final time in the bottom of the third with an RBI double, but the Saints weren't done, with their first double-digit run game on the horizon. Vargas reached base on a throwing error which allowed freshman Emma McLaughlin to cross home in the fifth. Finally, freshman Molly Mason scored on a sacrifice fly from Rhinehart and senior Kelly Rasulo doubled to left field to plate junior Neysa Ouellette.

Senior right-hander Maddie McMahon (2-3) got some mojo back in the circle, throwing her second complete game win of the season in allowed just one earned run on six hits and striking out six. North Carolina's Caroline Campbell (1-6) took the complete game loss, allowing eight earned runs on 14 hits and striking out a pair.

Game 1 – Siena 11, North Carolina Central 1 (5)

The Green & Gold never lost a beat heading into the second game, winning on one-inning less to wrap the afternoon. Stile kicked off a three-RBI game by sending in Rhinehart with an RBI ground out in the first, while Sabihon singled to the left side to score sophomore Yamila Evans.

Following an RBI single by the Eagles in the home half of the first, Siena never looked back, plating five runs to jet out to an 8-1 lead after two. Evans doubled down the line to score senior Patricia Kalesse, while DeChiaro singled to send back Rhinehart, Sabihon scored DeChiaro on an RBI single and Rasulo lined a double to left to allow Sabihon & Stile to score again. The Final three runs came in the third & fifth innings, with DeChiaro rounding out to allow freshman Sophia Caputo to cross, Stile sending home Diaz and the doubling to score McMahon as a pinch runner.

Freshman Nicole Patille (1-1) picked up her first collegiate win in the circle for the Saints, Walking one in a no-hit relief inning for Rhinehart. Allison Speshyock struck out a batter on, while Sarah Dowalo pitched a near-perfect frame to close the game. Campbell (1-7) took the loss in another complete outing for the Eagles, allowing 11 earned runs on 13 hits.

Due to the Saints' win of the day, Head Coach Bill Lajeunesse became the first coach in program history, the third active coach in Siena's athletic department and just the sixth active coach in the MAAC to reach 200 career victories.

Siena returns to action on Wednesday, March 11 for another non-conference doubleheader. The Saints will head to Clarksville, Tennessee to do battle with Austin Peay for the first time since 2000. First pitch is scheduled for 3 & 5 PM.