LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – Siena Softball picked right back up where it left of to continue an encouraging season following two straight days of weather-related cancellations. The Saints (21-11, 7-3) came out firing on Saturday afternoon with a pair of shutouts in the form of 6-0 and 8-0 wins over Rider at Herb and Joan Field in Lawrenceville, New Jersey.

Siena 6, Rider 0

En-route to its fifth doubleheader sweep and first consecutive shutout wins of the season, the Green and Gold got on the board early with an RBI fielder's choice form junior Ashley Giampolo to begin what was a defensive start to the game. Working behind a gem in the circle from redshirt-sophomore Alissa Eimont, the Saints stranded eight Rider runners on-base defensively through the first six innings of play to set up for a monster seventh frame offensively.

The Green and Gold capped the first game with a five-run showing in the top of the seventh, beginning with an RBI single from junior McKenzie Swinson, who then came around to score on a dropped fly ball. Junior Madi Silber plated Giampolo on an RBI double, while sophomore Emma Petersen scored on a passed ball and fifth year Jocelyn Ulrich sent in Silber on an RBI double.

Both teams recorded seven hits in the opening affair, with Swinson, Petersen, and Ulrich all having multi-hit days. Eimont moved to 12-4 on the season with four strikeouts in the complete game shutout victory.  

Siena 8, Rider 0

The Saints followed up the strong start with an even better one in the nightcap, beginning with a Petersen sacrifice fly to send in Swinson in the first. Silber scored in the second by way of an RBI single from freshman Chloe Cummings, while the lead was further extended in the third by way of an Ulrich sacrifice fly and Petersen scoring on a throwing error to make it 4-0 Siena after three.

The offense kept rolling and ultimately forced the team's third run-rule win of the season, continuing things with an RBI single up the middle from senior Isabella Pardo in the fourth inning. Ulrich then sent in a pair off an RBI double in the fifth, while redshirt-senior Diana Parker followed with a 2 RBI double, and the Saints downed the Broncs in order in the bottom of the fifth.

Siena held an 11-3 hits advantage in the win, with Pardo going a perfect 3-3 from the plate with an RBI and a run scored, while Swinson and Petersen each had multi-hit outings. Eimont completed a marathon day with another complete game victory in the circle, moving to 13-4 with two strikeouts.

The Saints will look to finish the weekend series on a high note on Sunday, April 14 at Noon.