ALBANY, NY – Following a five-year hiatus in the series, Siena Softball (18-18, 7-3) took the field for the first time since 2017 and the first time with former UAlbany standout and current head coach Casey Bump at the help against their crosstown rivals Thursday afternoon. The Great Danes (20-12, 7-3) earned the sweep with 2-1 and 12-8 victories at Albany Field in Albany, New York.
 
UAlbany 2, Siena 1
 
Taking the field in non-conference action for the first time in 16 days, the Saints were forced into a defensive battle to open the series, with UAlbany getting on the board in the home half of the first off a passed ball. Working behind five innings of work from freshman pitcher Adriana Romano which featured five strikeouts, Siena tied the game at one off an RBI double from senior Ava Fitzmaurice that scored sophomore Isabella Pardo.
 
The Great Danes responded by scoring the game-winning run in the home half of the inning by sending a runner in from third while another stole second. Romano (3-4) was tagged with the loss, while Fitzmaurice pitched an inning of relief and UAlbany's Wendy Hammond picked up the win in relief. Siena stranded seven runners on-base offensively, while four different Saints garnered a hit in the loss.
 
UAlbany 12, Siena 8
 
Un-phased by light showers falling to begin the nightcap, the home team induced a 1-2-3 inning to start things off and then put up 11 runs on a staggering 12 hits in the bottom of the frame. Siena brought in junior Allison Speshyock in to settle things down, leading to a career-high eight strikeouts over six innings. The Saints got on the board offensively in the top of the second after senior Sabrina Vargas was hit with a pitch with the bases loaded, while the Danes extended their lead with a bases-loaded single in the bottom of the frame.
 
Beginning in the top of the fourth, Siena accepted the up-hill climb that it faced and clawed its way back into relevancy in the game, plating three runs in each of the next two innings and forcing several UAlbany pitching changes. The scoring rally included a two-out RBI single from Fitzmaurice that scored a pair in the fourth and the first collegiate home run off the bat of freshman Nicolette Kasch, who sent a bomb to right field in the fifth. Siena mustered up one more run in the seventh via an RBI single from sophomore Mikala Fletcher, but stranded a pair on-base to end the game and could not come closer.
 
The barn-burner featured 27 combined hits between the squads, with Pardo, Fletcher, and junior Angelina Stile each recording two-hit performances. Junior Nicole Patille (5-6) took the loss in the circle, while UAlbany's Briana Garrett (9-5) picked up the win in four and two-thirds innings of work, and Hammond re-entered in the seventh to collect her first save of the season.
 
Siena will look to end a five-game losing skid in its return to MAAC play this weekend. The Saints, who remain in a four-way tie for the league's top spot at 7-3, will head to conference rivals Marist and Quinnipiac on Saturday and Sunday, respectively for a pair of doubleheaders.