March 28, 2006
Box Score
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - For the second time this season the Marist Softball team is riding a six game winning streak. Marist reached six straight wins on Tuesday afternoon when it swept Army in a doubleheader 4-1 and 6-2 behind strong pitching performances from Megan Rigos (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and Caitlin Carpentier (Andover, Mass.).
In game one, Rigos dominated the Black Knights as she gave up just one earned run on three hits. In seven innings of work, the sophomore left hander struck out six against just two walks. With the complete game victory, Rigos moves to 8-2 on the year and has won her last her seven decisions.
The Red Foxes got on the board first in the home half of the second. Annie Castellano (Happauge, N.Y.) was hit by a pitch to start the frame and moved to second on an error on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Katie Eskin (Edison, N.J.). Jasmery Polanco (Bay Shore, N.Y.) and Bridget Hurlman (Yonkers, N.Y.) hit back-to-back singles to push Castellano across with the games first run. Later in the inning, Polanco would score the eventual game winning run on a wild pitch by Army starter Kelly Trout.
Army would cut the lead in half in the top of the fourth when the Black Knights loaded the bases with no-one out. Rigos induced a four-six-three double play on which Army's lone run would score.
Marist quickly regained a three-run advantage in the home half of the fourth, when it pushed across two more runs. Melissa Giordano (Stamford, Conn.) led of the inning with a double and advanced to third on an error by Army center fielder Nikki Posey. She scored when Polanco followed her by reaching on an error. Polanco was pushed across on a single by Chrystine McHugh (Port Ewen, N.Y.) for Marist's fourth and final run.
Marist out hit Army in game one 7-3 and made no errors to the Black Knights' five.
In game two, Army took the early advantage, as they took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning. Lindsey Gerheim led of the inning with a double down the left field line and was advanced to third on an error. She was driven in by Darcy Wilson for the only lead the Black Knights would hold the entire day.
Marist was held quiet until the fourth inning when Pamela de la Llave (West Orange, N.J.) gave the Foxes a lead it would not relinquish when she drove a ball over the right center field wall for her first round tripper of the year and a 2-1 Marist lead.
Marist opened the game up in the home half of the sixth, when it plated four runs via a pair of two run home runs. Current MAAC Rookie of the Week Jessica Green (Manassas, Va.) got the first one when she took a ball deep over the left center wall. It was her third home run of the season and her 16th and 17th runs batted in. Polanco followed suite with a two-run blast of her own later in the frame for a 6-1 lead.
Carpentier gave up a run in the Army seventh and was relieved by Rigos, who got the final three outs for her first save of the season. She struck out two in her one inning of work. Carpentier moved to 3-1 with the win, as she went six innings, striking out seven.
With the sweep, Marist moves to 13-5 on the season. Following a doubleheader at Central Connecticut on Wednesday, the Foxes will return home to open MAAC play when they host Manhattan on April 1 at 1 p.m.
