March 26, 2011

Box Score

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - Behind the strong pitching of Paige Lewis (Temecula, Calif.) and a clutch go-ahead hit from Danielle Koltz (Chenango Bridge, N.Y.), the Marist softball team (12-14) captured their first home win of the season, 3-2, over Holy Cross (6-10) in the second game of a doubleheader. The Crusaders won the first game, 8-3.

In seven innings, Lewis allowed just one earned run and struck out six Crusaders en route to a complete game. Offensively, Marist was led by Koltz, who compiled three hits in the afternoon's two contests, and Nicole DiVirgilio (Aston, Pa.), who accumulated four, extending her hit streak to 11 games.

After a two-out homerun by Erin Fleming gave the Crusaders a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning of game two, Marist rallied with singles from DiVirgilio and Nicole Van Loan (Kingston, N.Y.), who was pinch-running for DiVirgilio. The run knotted the score at two and set the stage for Klotz's RBI single, which scored Birnbaum.

After Lewis opened the game with two perfect innings, Holy Cross loaded the bases in the third with just one out. Marist escaped the jam by earning two outs at the plate. Kali Haas was caught trying to steal home for the second out. After a single by Gwen Reimer, Fleming was thrown out at home from right field by Aly Klemmer (Hamilton, N.J) to retire the side.

Sarah Carmody (Camarillo, Calif.) opened the bottom half of the third inning with a double. DiVirgilio then reached based on error, scoring Carmody from third to give Marist a 1-0 lead. In the fourth inning, Lewis would again find runners in scoring position with one out after Tiffany Medwid reached base on a throwing error and advanced to third on a groundout. Medwid scored on a sacrifice fly, knotting the game at one.

Game One In the afternoon's opening contest, the Red Foxes were victims of a quick start by the Crusaders, who scored six runs in the first two innings. A three-run homerun in the first inning by Sam Fregenti began the scoring. Alex Gustafson added a solo shot to give Holy Cross a 4-0 advantage. An inning later, Reimer smacked an RBI double and eventually stole home to extend the lead to 6-0.

Marist cracked the scoreboard with a fourth inning homerun by Klemmer. The Red Foxes looked to be mounting a comeback in the sixth inning when Klemmer singled and Koltz homered to cut the deficit to 7-3. Holy Cross countered in the top of the seventh when Fregenti hit her second homerun of the game to extend the lead to 8-3. Fregenti went 3-for-4 with four RBI in the first contest, but was hitless in the second.

Koltz, DiVirgilio, and Klemmer each had 2 hits in the day's first contest. Pitcher Emily Osterhaus (Suwanee, Ga.) struck out seven batters in as many innings.

The Red Foxes will travel to Princeton, N.J. tomorrow afternoon for a doubleheader against Princeton. First pitch of the twin bill is slated for 1:00 p.m.