STAFF REPORTS
news@allwnynews.com
BUFFALO — Marist College became the first MAAC softball team to win 30 games this season, as the visiting Red Foxes scored a pair of one-run victories over Canisius Saturday afternoon at the Demske Sports Complex. Marist (30-19, 10-6 MAAC) won the first game 4-3 before posting a 5-4 win in eight innings in the nightcap. The Golden Griffins, who have now dropped five straight, fell to 18-31 overall and 6-10 in league play.
In the first game, Marist took advantage of four first-inning errors by Canisius to jump out to a 4-0 lead, and the Red Foxes were able to hold off a late comeback attempt to score the win. In the second game, Canisius led Marist 4-3 with two outs in the top of the seventh, but a solo home run by Marist’s Kourtney Paul forced the game to extra innings, where an RBI-base hit by senior Rebecca Freeman with the bases loaded helped lift the visiting squad to its second win on the day.
For Canisius, sophomore Lauren Castro had four hits in the two games, highlighted by her effort in game one where she went 3-for-3 with a double, two home runs and three RBI.
In game one of the twinbill, Marist sent nine batters to the plate and scored four times in the top-half of the first, using four Canisius errors to fuel the early scoring outburst. Canisius got on the board in the fourth when Castro led off the frame with a solo home run to left, and later, the Gilroy, California native made the score 4-3 in the sixth when she popped a two-run shot over the fence in left for her second homer of the afternoon.
Following Castro’s two-run homer, sophomore Denver Keller drilled a double to right, which forced the Red Foxes to lift starting pitcher Jayne Oberdorf in favor of reliever Kallen Leeseberg. Leeseberg earned her third save of the season after she retired six-straight Griffs to seal the victory. Oberdorf earned the win in the circle for Marist after she went five innings and allowed three runs on six hits while striking out four. Canisius junior Madi Weathers took the loss for the Blue and Gold after she gave up four runs, all of which were unearned, on eight hits. She also fanned four batters in her fifth complete-game of the season.
In the second game, Canisius held a 3-0 lead after three innings of play. In the second, the Griffs got on the scoreboard first with an RBI-double by freshman Gianna Degaltini which allowed junior Moriah Harris to score from first base. The Griffs added two more runs in the home-half of the third as senior Lindsey Silfer score on a Marist error and Keller knocked in a run with a sacrifice-fly to left. Marist made the score 4-1 in the fourth, but Canisius pushed its cushion back to 4-1 in the bottom of the frame thanks to an RBI-double by Silfer.
Marist scored twice in the sixth to make the score 4-3, and the Red Foxes were down to their final out in the seventh when Paul smacked a 3-1 offering from Weathers over the fence in left center, her fourth homer of the year, to knot the game at 4-4. In the eighth, Marist loaded the bases, setting the stage for Freemen who sent a long fly ball to left. The ball dropped between two Canisius fielders in left, allowing sophomore Casey Page to race home from third. In the home-half of the eighth, Canisius had a runner at second with two outs, but Marist was able to pick that runner off to end the game.
Marist’s Megan Beiermeister picked up the win after she threw 5.2 innings of relief and gave up just one run on three hits while striking out five. Canisius starter Erika Mackie threw five innings and allowed three runs on nine hits before being relieved by Weathers. Weathers gave up two runs on six hits in three innings.
Canisius will play host to Quinnipiac on Sunday, April 30. First pitch of that MAAC doubleheader is set for noon.
