A sixth inning two-run home run was enough to push the Cornell Big Red past Siena Softball, 2-1, from Madeira Beach, FL on Saturday afternoon.
Carlie Venables produced Siena's lone hit and RBI in the game, while
Gracie Goewey scored the run.
Alissa Eimont hurled all six innings with two runs allowed on five hits and four walks. She struck out four batters in the game and in doing so became just the ninth player in program history to eclipse 200 for her career.
After a scoreless top of the first, Eimont struck out three Cornell batters in the bottom half to keep things even at zero. With the Big Red threatening in the second with a runner on third and two away, Eimont induced an inning-ending groundout to short to bring the game into the third.
Cornell was in striking distance again in the bottom of the fourth with runners on first and second with one away. But once again, Eimont forced a ground ball to
Gracie Goewey at third, who stepped on the base for the force before throwing the batter out at first to escape the jam and keep the game scoreless.
Goewey also snapped Siena's streak of 10 straight batters retired in the top of the fifth, opening the frame on a hit by pitch before advancing to second on a passed ball. With two gone, Venables brought Goewey in from second on a double down the left field line, serving as Siena's first hit of the game, for a 1-0 lead.
Cornell's first two batters of the home half of the fifth reached, but just as she had all game, Eimont worked out of it - this time by forcing three flyouts, keeping the Saints up 1-0 going into the sixth.
The Big Red broke through in the bottom half of the sixth. With one on and one away, a two-run home run gave them their first lead late in the game.
Ashley Giampolo led off the top of the seventh eating a pitch, but the Saints were unable to produce another runner in the inning.
Siena wraps up its trip to Madeira Beach Sunday morning with a 9 a.m. game against Cornell followed by an 11:30 a.m. first pitch against North Florida.
