CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Canisius scored two runs in the eighth inning, highlighted by an RBI-double by Denver Keller, and Erika Mackie sat St. Bonaventure down in order in the bottom of the eighth, as the Golden Griffins earned a 3-1 win in extra innings over the Bonnies Sunday on the final day of the First Pitch Classic. Canisius is now 4-5 on the year.
St. Bonaventure scored a run in the bottom of the first, and the Bonnies held a 1-0 lead until the top of the sixth when Keller drove in teammate Moriah Harris with a sac-fly to left. The score would remain knotted at 1-1, but Canisius scored twice in the eighth to take a 3-1 lead.
In the extra frame, Canisius freshman Cassie Ho started the rally by reaching safely on a throwing error and then raced to second base. That throwing error allowed Harris, who started the inning at second base thanks to the international tie-breaker rule, to score from second, putting the Griffs up 2-1. Later in the frame, Ho would come around to score on Keller’s RBI-double down the left field line. In the bottom-half of the eighth, Mackie got a pop-up, a line-out and a ground-out to third to seal the win, Canisius’ first extra-inning victory of the year.
The Griffs had 11 hits in the win, with Harris and senior Lindsey Silfer each recording multi-hit games for the Blue and Gold. Keller drove in two of Canisius’ three runs on the day, giving her six RBI on the season, which ranks second on the team.
Mackie earned the win in relief after she allowed just one hit while striking out five in four innings of work. Canisius starter Madi Weathers threw four innings as well, where she allowed just one run on five hits.
Sunday was the 73rd all-time meeting between the two teams. Canisius leads the series 58-15. Canisius improved to 5-5 in its last 10 extra-inning games, dating back to the 2015 season. The win in the circle for Mackie was her 27, which is tops among all active pitchers on the Canisius staff.
Canisius will return to action March 3-4 at the Upstate Classic in Greenville, S.C.
from GoGriffs.com via IFTTT
