April 12, 2005
Box Score
Poughkeepsie, N.Y. - The Marist softball team (12-14) ran its winning streak to four games after sweeping visiting Columbia 6-4, 3-2 in a doubleheader today at Gartland Field. Sophomore RF Lyndsay Ward went three for five with two runs, three RBI and a home run while junior Bridget Hurlman was also three for five with four RBI, a run and her team-leading fifth homer. Freshman Megan Rigos earned her ninth win and third save.
After giving up three runs on four hits in the top of the first inning in the opener, Marist regrouped in its first turn at bat as Hurlman singled to right center with two out, scoring LF Christine Jakobsen and 3B Chrystine McHugh. McHugh had led off with a single to extend her consecutive-game hitting streak to 18.
The game remained 3-2 until the bottom of the fourth when Ward came to the plate with two out and CF Allison Bartley on second base. The Huntington, N.Y. native proceeded to blast her second home run of the year over the left field fence to put Marist ahead 4-3.
The Lions struck back to tie the game again in the fifth on 1B Marissa Marconi's RBI groundout, but the Red Foxes would score the winning runs in the sixth when C Jasmery Polanco drew a leadoff walk and Hurlman followed with a towering deep fly off Jackie Adelfio (9-9) for her fifth career and season round-tripper. Columbia put runners on first and third with nobody out in the seventh, but Rigos would slam the door, eventually striking out Marconi to end the ballgame.
Rigos allowed four runs, three earned, on eight hits in seven innings. She struck out two. Adelfio struck out five in six innings for Columbia.
In the nightcap, freshman Kristen Merlino and Columbia's Maiya Chard-Yaron pitched dueling shutouts for three innings before 3B Kacy Krisman's RBI double gave the Lions a 1-0 lead with none out in the top of the fourth. After walking Marconi, Merlino bore down and kept Columbia off the scoreboard for the remainder of the inning.
Marist took the lead to stay with yet another two-out rally in the bottom of the fourth. Ward delivered an RBI single to center to bring home freshman pinch runner Whitney Vecchione. After a wild pitch advanced her to third, Ward scored on LF Pamela de la Llave's single. It was the first career RBI for de la Llave. McHugh followed with an RBI single for the winning run as her hitting streak has now reached 19 games.
Columbia would not go quietly, however, drawing within 3-2 as SS Hilary Parsons smacked an RBI double in the fifth to bring home CF Kim Krisman. Three batters later, Marist head coach Melissa Tucci went to her bullpen to nail down the win, calling on Rigos to return. The rookie from Pittsburgh answered the call with two and two-thirds perfect innings to earn her third save of the season. Merlino picked up her third career win, working around six hits and two walks to allow just two runs while striking out two.
Junior SS Katie Eskin had a pair of singles while freshman 1B Annie Castellano had a hit as well. The victories gave Marist its first four-game winning streak since it took six in a row late in the 2001 season.
The Red Foxes are back in action this weekend, traveling to Canisius (Sat.) and Niagara (Sun.) this weekend for MAAC doubleheaders. First pitches are scheduled for 12 p.m. both days.
