Making its first appearance in the Northeast this season, Siena Softball (10-9) traveled to Worcester, MA Saturday to take on the Holy Cross Crusaders in a doubleheader. The Saints opened the afternoon with a 9-4 win in game one, followed by a 3-1 win in the second game.
Siena 9, Holy Cross 4
The sides traded scoreless first innings, and the Saints were set down in order in the second - setting up Holy Cross to strike first in the home half of the frame. With two on and one away a double down the left field line brought in a runner from second.
Alissa Eimont retired the next two batters to limit the damage.
Siena got the run back in the third inning. With
McKenzie Swinson on third and two away,
Lauren Melton beat out a slow dribbler to short - allowing Swinson to come home and tie the game. After touching home to tie the game in the third, Swinson delivered the big hit in the fourth to grant the Saints their first lead of the game in the fourth.
With the bases loaded and two away, the senior belted a 3-2 pitch over the left field fence for her first home run of the season - giving the team a 5-1 lead on the grand slam.
Eimont continued to shut down the Crusaders through the middle portion of the game, allowing just one baserunner between the fourth and fifth innings while hanging to the four run advantage. Siena added insurance in the top of the sixth with
Ashley Giampolo driving one in, and two off the bat of
Emma Petersen, while Holy Cross scored one to make it 8-2 entering the 7th.
There, the Saints tacked on one more run to push its lead to seven runs. Holy Cross wouldn't go quietly in the home half, however. The Crusaders put three of their first four runners on base to start the inning before the fifth batter singled two home to make it 9-4. Eimont dug in after that though to retire the next two and finish the game.
Siena 3, Holy Cross 1
The Saints gave starter
Kaycie Kennedy three runs to work with before even taking the circle in game two.
Emma Petersen brought in
Chloe Cummings on an RBI groundout to get things going in the top of the first before
Gracie Goewey left the yard with a two-run shot for her fourth of the season - making it 3-0 entering the home half.
Holy Cross came back with one of its own on a bloop single over
Carlie Venables' head at shortstop, but Kennedy held the Crusaders to just the lone tally in the first. Holy Cross looked to add in the second after opening the frame with a leadoff double. But the senior retired the next three batters to keep the Saints up 3-1 entering the third.
Offenses cooled down following the first, with neither side touching home between the second and fifth innings. Kennedy had a stretch of six straight Crusaders retired through two outs in the fifth until allowing a double, but she forced a groundout to Petersen at first to keep Siena ahead 3-1 entering the sixth.
The Saints drew one runner in the sixth, while Kennedy sat Holy Cross down in order in the home half as the game remained 3-1 in favor of the Saints. Siena couldn't provide its senior pitcher any more insurance runs in the top of the seventh, but that didn't matter for Kennedy as she put down Holy Cross in order to cap off the sweep.
Siena is back in action on Thur., Mar. 20 for a doubleheader at Central Connecticut. Game one of the twin bill is set for 1 p.m. from New Britain, CT.
