STAFF REPORTS
news@allwnynews.com
Canisius sophomore Lauren Castro went 3-for-4 with a double and five runs batted in, and five other Golden Griffins were credited with RBI as the Blue and Gold defeated Holy Cross 13-3 in five innings Saturday afternoon on the second day of the Under Armour Showcase in Clearwater, Florida. The win improved Canisius to 8-9 on the season, as the Griffs fell to South Dakota State by a score of 5-3 in the first game. The 13-runs scored by Canisius in the nightcap victory are the most for the team since April 17, 2016 when the Blue and Gold scored 14 points in a home victory over Iona.
In the win over Holy Cross (2-11), Canisius scored three in the first and then added three more runs in the third, highlighted by a two-run homer by junior Moriah Harris, that had the Blue and Gold up 6-0 through 2.5 innings of play. After the Crusaders scored a run in the bottom of the third to make it 6-1, Canisius sent 10 batters to the dish in the fourth and scored four runs, with the key hit of the frame coming from Castro, who drove in a pair with single through the left-side of the infield which allowed freshman Cassie Ho and senior Samantha Sharkey to score. In the fifth, Canisius added three more runs, and Castro was credited with two more RBIs after she roped a double to left that allowed senior Lindsey Silfer and freshman Gianna Degaltini to cross the plate.
The Griffs had 10 hits in the victory over Holy Cross, with Sharkey, Ho, Silfer and Harris all scoring multiple times in the win. The 13 runs were more than enough support for junior Erika Mackie, who evened her record at 4-4 on the year after she allowed three runs on five hits in five innings of work.
In the first game of the day, South Dakota State scored single runs in the fifth and top-half of the seventh to break open a 3-3 tie en route to a 5-3 victory. The Jackrabbits moved to 12-13 with the victory.
Canisius trailed 3-2 after three, but the Griffs tied the game at 3-3 in the home-half of the fourth on a sac-fly to right off the bat of Sharkey that pushed freshman Ashley Barnett across the plate from third. South Dakota State scored the eventual game-winning run in the fifth and then added an insurance marker in the top of the seventh.
The Griffs had five hits in the loss, with Castro earning two of those, while Harris and Barnett each had doubles for the Blue and Gold. Junior Madi Weathers took the loss in the circle after she allowed four runs on six hits while fanning five in 5.2 innings of work.
Canisius will close out its trip to the Under Armour Showcase on Sunday when the team plays La Salle. First pitch in Clearwater, Fla., is set for 11:15 a.m.
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