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Box Score 2 POUGHKEEPSIE, New York – The Marist softball team swept a doubleheader from Holy Cross on Wednesday at Gartland Field. The Red Foxes extended their winning streak to nine with 7-4 and 2-1 victories.
In the first inning of game one, senior first baseman Maureen Duddy set the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference's single-season stolen bases record. Duddy reached on a leadoff single, and then proceeded to steal second and third to earn the record with her 41st stolen base of the season.
Here is a closer look at each game:
Game One – Marist 7, Holy Cross 4
Duddy paced Marist offensively by going 2-for-3 with two RBIs, a run scored, and three stolen bases. Sophomore designated player Gabrielle Kelliher went 2-for-4 with a stolen base and a run scored. Senior center fielder Colleen McWilliams was 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. Marist was 8-for-8 on stolen-base attempts.
The Red Foxes opened the scoring in the first, as senior shortstop Kyrsten Van Natta brought home Duddy on an infield groundout. Marist later added a run on an infield error.
A two-run homer by Holy Cross shortstop Taylor Wahler tied the game in the top of the third. But the Red Foxes took the lead for good in the bottom half of the inning. Junior right fielder Janna Korak started a two-out rally with single. Korak stole second, and scored on a single by McWilliams.
Marist added a run in the fourth when sophomore left fielder Miranda Perez stole third, and scored on a throwing error. An RBI groundout by Wahler in the top of the fifth cut the Red Foxes' lead to 4-3, but Duddy delivered a two-run single in the bottom half of the frame. The teams traded runs in the sixth to close out the scoring. Third baseman Mandy McCarthy hit a leadoff homer in the top of the inning, but McWilliams delivered a sacrifice fly in bottom of the sixth.
Freshman Brooke Peterson (2-2) allowed just three hits in the first four innings for the victory. Megan Beiermeister went the final three innings for her second save. Alexandra Held (0-2) pitched a complete game for Holy Cross. Four of the seven runs she permitted were unearned, as the Crusaders committed four errors.
Game Two – Marist 2, Holy Cross 1
The second game featured a pitchers' duel between Holy Cross starter Gennifer Durham and Marist freshman Kallen Leeseberg, as there were just five hits in the game.
The only hit Leeseberg allowed in her 5.1 innings was a solo home run to Holy Cross catcher Kelsey Christensen, which led off the third. In the top of the sixth, Holy Cross left fielder Kylee Malouf reached on an error, and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by second baseman Sarah Kane. Marist red-shirt junior Jessica Van Alphen then came on in relief to face Holy Cross right fielder Jaclyn Brewster. Brewster singled to left field, but a perfect relay from sophomore left fielder Kourtney Paul to sophomore third baseman Brittany Colombo to freshman catcher Claire Oberdorf cut down Malouf at the plate.
Through the first five innings, Durham limited Marist to just one hit. Pinch-hitting to lead off the bottom of the sixth, Kelliher homered to left-center on an 0-2 pitch, which tied the score at one apiece. Two batters later, Van Natta homered over the wall in left to give Marist the lead for good.
Leeseberg struck out three in her outing, and threw 44 of her 56 pitches for strikes. Van Alphen got four outs to earn the victory, which improved her record to 10-2. Junior Jayne Oberdorf recorded the final out – a strikeout – for her second save. For Holy Cross, Durham (6-11) pitched a three-hit complete game, struck out six, and did not walk anyone.
Marist improved to 32-8 overall; Holy Cross is now 7-27. The Red Foxes have now won 19 of their last 20 games, and completed their 16-game homestand with a 15-1 record.
Marist returns to action on Saturday, when the Red Foxes play a MAAC doubleheader at Monmouth. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1 p.m. Marist and Monmouth are tied for first place in the MAAC in the loss column at one apiece.
