CANISIUS COLLEGE ATHLETICS
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Canisius softball team scored a season-high 15 runs on the power of 12 hits, and senior Erika Mackie scattered nine hits over five innings while striking out four, as the host Golden Griffins defeated cross-town rival Buffalo 15-5 in five innings to earn a doubleheader split with the Bulls Wednesday afternoon at the Demske Sports Complex. In the first game of the day, the Bulls posted an 8-0 win over Canisius in six innings. Canisiuis is now 5-26 on the year, while the Bulls are 15-23.
Game One Recap
The Bulls scored six times in the game’s first two innings, with four runs coming in the top-half of the second, as Buffalo ended a two-game skid with an 8-0 victory in five innings. Taylor Scott knocked in two runs in the second inning with a double, while teammates Jenelle Martinez and Anna Aguon also recorded RBI-base hits in the frame. Scott went 2-for-2 with a double, a solo homer and two runs batted in for the Bulls, and senior Leandra Jew scored three times in the winning effort.
Canisius had four hits in the loss, with freshman Kara Paradowski recording two hits and junior Denver Kellerposting a double in the losing effort. Buffalo starter Ally Power moved to 12-12 on the year after she tossed a complete-game shutout with 10 strikeouts. Freshman Emily Nicosia took the loss in the circle for the Blue and Gold after she allowed six runs, five earned, on six hits in two innings of work.
Game Two Recap
The Griffs wasted little time getting on the scoreboard in the nightcap, as the home team scored nine runs in the first two innings, highlighted by a six-run second that saw sophomore Morgan Altman hit her first career grand slam en route to the 15-5 victory.
The Bulls added four runs in the top-half of the third to make the score 9-4 in favor of Canisius, but the Griffs answered with six more runs in the home-half of the fourth. In that inning, junior Destiny Holani drove in two with a base hit to center, and then Paradowski cleared the bases moments later with a triple to the gap in left-center that allowed Holani and sophomores Cassie Ho and Brittany Sockwell to come around and score.
Altman drove in a career-high five runs in the win and also scored twice, while Paradowski collected three hits and three RBI. Holani also added three RBI to the winning cause.
The 15 runs were more than enough support for Mackie, who picked up her second win in 2018. Buffalo starter Lace Smith took the loss after she allowed seven runs on seven hits in 1.1 innings of action.
Game Notes
• Wednesday marked the 52nd and 53rd all-time meeting between these two teams, with Canisius leading the series 30-23.
• The 15 runs in the game two victory are the most for Canisius against Buffalo in series history, and the 10-run win is also the largest margin of victory for either school in the series.
• The 15 runs scored also stand as the most for the Griffs since the team defeated Rider 15-1 in five innings on April 22, 2017.
• The three hits for Paradowski in game two are a career-high, and her triple in the nightcap is the third triple of the season for Canisius as a team.
• Altman now leads the team with three homers this year.
• The win in the circle for Mackie is the 35th in her career as a Griff.
Up Next
Canisius will return to MAAC action on Saturday, April 21, when the team travels to play at Saint Peter’s for a league doubleheader. The first game of the MAAC twinbill in Jersey City, N.J., is set for noon.
