STAFF REPORTS
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After being shutout out in back-to-back games, the Canisius softball team scored plenty of runs on Saturday in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, posting a MAAC sweep of Rider by scores of 15-1 in five innings and 13-5. The wins move the Golden Griffins to 18-26 overall and 6-6 in conference play, while the Broncs, who have now lost 21 of their last 25 games, fell to 6-31 overall and 1-9 in MAAC action.
In the first game, sophomore Lauren Castro was a home run shy of the cycle, and she drove in six RBI, while junior Moriah Harris hit a grand slam in the top-half of the first in the team’s 15-1 victory. Canisius racked up 13 hits, with senior Lindsey Silfer recording two doubles in the winning effort. Silfer scored three times in the victory, as did sophomore Denver Keller and Destiny Holani. Junior Madi Weathers scored the win in the circle after she allowed just one run, an unearned run, on six hits to go with two strikeouts and two walks.
In the second game, Canisius led 3-0 after two innings and then broke the game open with seven runs in the third en route to a 13-5 victory. Silfer and freshman Gianna Degaltini each had three RBI in the victory, with Degaltini’s three runs batted in coming on her first career homer – a three-run shot over the fence in left in the third. Casto had a double in the win, her MAAC-leading 16th of the season, and junior pitcher Erika Mackie earned her eighth win of the season after she went 4.2 innings and allowed five runs on nine hits. Castro closed out the game for the Blue and Gold by tossing a scoreless 2.1 innings of relief.
Canisius leads the all-time series with Rider 32-14. The pair of wins gives Canisius five wins in their last six MAAC games, dating back to April 9. In the last four games, including last year’s doubleheader at Canisius, the Griffs have out scored Rider by a 49-16 count. The 15 runs scored are the most for Canisius this year. The game one mercy-rule victory is Canisius’ first since the Blue and Gold drilled Holy Cross 13-3 back on March 11.
Canisius will play its final road series of the season on Sunday, April 23, when the team plays at Monmouth. Game time in West Long Branch, N.J., is set for noon.