SCHENECTADY, NY – Sophomore first baseman
Megan Kaknis (New Windsor, NY/NFA) hit a two-run, walk-off homer in the opener and had seven hits on the day as Union College swept SUNY Oneonta, 12-10 and 6-1 in a non-league softball doubleheader Thursday at Alexander Field. The Dutchwomen, winners of five straight and eight of nine, improved to 16-6 while the Red Dragons fell to 3-15.
Freshman pitcher
Tiffany Ippoliti (Schuylerville, NY/Schuylerville) had both victories on the day. She pitched four innings of relief in the opener, allowing four hits, two earned runs and two strikeouts. She pitched a complete game six hitter in the nightcap, allowing one earned run and four strikeouts to improve to 7-4 in her rookie season.
With the game tied at 10-10 and one out in the bottom of the seventh,
Michelle Rogers (Clarence, NY/Clarence) walked, reaching base for the fourth consecutive time in the contest. Kaknis then hit her team leading seventh home run of the season, over the left field fence. Kaknis is tied with Beth Gargon of Rensselaer for the Liberty League lead in homers. She had five hits and six RBIs in the game, both season highs for a Union player this season. Rogers had two hits and drove in two, while catcher
Catherine Kielb (Rensselaer, NY/Columbia) also had two hits and two RBIs in the triumph. Union had 15 hits in the game.
Leadoff batter and shortstop Allison Bandos (Hagaman, NY/Amsterdam) had three this and four RBIs for the Red Dragons. She was 3 for 3 with four RBIs and a double after the third inning in the slugfest, that featured a 9-9 tie after four innings. Oneonta got two hits each from leftfielder Meghan Martin (Wappingers Falls, NY/Arlington), designated player Meghan Fox (Hampton Bays, NY/Hampton Bays) and second baseman Paige Harris (Unadilla, NY/Unatego). The Red Dragons had 12 hits in the first game. Jennifer McGrath (Middletown, NY/Middletown) took the loss in the complete game effort.
Union jumped out to a 4-0 lead through two innings. Kaknis added two hits in the triumph, giving her a seven game hitting streak that features 17 hits during that span (batting .630 during the streak). Kielb had two hits and two RBIs in this game, and rightfielder
Kelly Owings (Oswego, NY/Oswego) led the Dutchwomen with three of Union's 12 hits. Rogers reached base in seven of her nine plate appearances.
Catcher Ashley Risco (Wallkill, NY/Wallkill) had two of the six hits for Oneonta. Freshman pitcher Rebecca Burkhart (Averill Park, NY/Averill Park) gave up five earned runs in six innings in the complete game.
Union returns to Liberty League play Saturday, hosting Skidmore for a league twinbill at 1 p.m.
