Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score

TROY, NY -- Sophomore Nina Cervini singled home the winning run in the eighth inning to lead the Union College softball team to a 3-2 victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in the first game of a Liberty League doubleheader at Doris Robison Field. The Dutchwomen then captured the nightcap, 4-1, behind a complete game by senior Ginni Sack.

Union improves to 24-8 overall and 5-1 in the Liberty League, to reamain in first place, while RPI falls to 14-15-1 and 1-3. With one win in tomorrow's doubleheader at St. Lawrence, the Dutchwomen can clinch the regular season title and thus would host the first ever Liberty League Softball Tournament May 8-9.

In the opener, Rensselaer jumped ahead with a pair of solo home runs in the fourth inning. Junior Jen Bach broke the school record for career home runs with her eighth of the season and 27th overall. Two batters later, Sara Heller hit one out of the park.

The Dutchwomen tied the score with a two-run sixth inning. Cervini knocked in the first run with a one-out single up the middle and the next batter, Alexandra King), did the same. In the eighth inning, junior Callee Heywood singled, advanced to second base on a wild pitch and scored on Cervini's hit, her second of the game.

Senior Tiffany Ippoliti allowed eight hits with seven strikeouts to outduel Bach, who allowed six hits with six strikeouts. She was also 2 for 3 with a run and an RBI. It was Ippoliti's 12th win of the season.

The second game saw Sack allow no earned runs and six hits in a complete game victory. She was outstanding in holding RPI at bay in the fifth inning when it had the bases loaded and no outs trailing by two runs (3-1).

RPI's Felicia Bua suffered the loss, giving up just two earned runs on eight hits in 7.0 innings. Bach again led the RPI offense, going 2 for 4. Union saw six players collect one hit apiece, while junior centerfielder Becky Gronczniak was 2 for 3 with an RBI.

Union is scheduled to travel to St. Lawrence for a league twinbill on Sunday to close out the Liberty League regular season schedule..