CARY, NC – It was a new week with the same result for Siena Softball to kick off the second weekend of action during the 2023 season. Dealing with recent schedule changes, the Saints (4-0) took care of business with a doubleheader sweep of North Carolina Central (0-4) at Thomas Brooks Park in Cary, North Carolina Saturday afternoon.
Despite making a last-minute trip to the Carolinas to take on the Eagles, Siena cruised to a 10-2 win in five innings during the one before clinching the sweep with a 10-5 result in the nightcap. The victories allowed the Green and Gold to start 4-0 on the season for the first time since 1981, and do so for only the fourth time ever.
Game 1: Siena 10, North Carolina Central 2 (5)
 Despite the Eagles striking first in the home half of the second with an RBI single, the Saints offense batted around and exploded for eight runs in the top of the third, beginning with a 2 RBI single from senior Ava Fitzmaurice that sent graduate student Sabrina Vargas and junior Mikala Fletcher in to score. Fitzmaurice would score next along with senior Jocelyn Ulrich off a 2 RBI double from freshmen Emma Petersen, while redshirt-junior Diana Parker sent in Petersen on an RBI double. Parker then scored on an RBI double from sophomore Ashley Giampolo, while junior Isabella Pardo singled to center to place Giampolo and Fletcher.
After an RBI double got the home team back on the board in the bottom half of the frame, the Saints would seal the deal in the fifth off a Fitzmaurice sacrifice fly that scored Fletcher and a throwing error that allowed Pardo to score from third following a stolen base.
Fitzmaurice (2-0) claimed the three-inning victory with one strikeout, while senior Allison Speshyock fanned one batter in two innings of relief. Siena held a 7-5 advantage in hits, with a 2-2, 3 RBI performance at the plate from Fitzmaurice leading the way offensively.
Game 2: Siena 10, North Carolina Central 5
Working behind a four-inning, one-hit performance in the circle from senior Nicole Patille (2-0), the Saints picked up where they left off offensively in the nightcap. Following a pair of scoreless frames, Fitzmaurice singles to right in the third to allow Vargas to score on an error, while sophomore McKenzie Swinson and Fitzmaurice both crossed on an error during the following play.
A single and an error off a Swinson single allowed senior Shannon Bonewit to come in in the fourth, while Swinson scored on a wild pitch and senior Angelina Stile knocked home Fitzmaurice on an RBI single to give the Saints a 6-0 advantage. The fifth added three more runs, with Peterson scoring on an RBI groundout from Bonewit, sophomore Emmalynn Skaff coming in on an error, and Swinson sending home senior Antonia Albany on an RBI single.
North Carolina Central continued the game in the bottom of the fifth with a bases-loaded double and an RBI single to put the score at 9-4. Swinson capped off a career 4-5 performance at the plate with three runs scored on a pair batted in by advancing to second on an error, taking third, and scoring, all on the same play. Siena held an 8-6 hits advantage while capitalizing on eight NCCU errors.
The Saints will aim for the program's first 5-0 start to a season since 1978 when they take on the Eagles once more on Sunday, February 19 at 10 AM.
