ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT softball team (19-10, 6-2 Liberty League) picked up a key Liberty League doubleheader sweep, defeating Union College (4-18, 0-6 Liberty League) by scores of 3-2 and 4-1 at cool and breezy Tiger Stadium Saturday afternoon.
 
With the two wins, RIT moves closer to clinching a Liberty League postseason berth. RIT's 19 wins are now the most in a season since 2011. One more victory would give the Tigers their ninth 20-win season in program history.
 
All three RIT pitchers played a major role in today's sweep. In game one, Lauren Mahar picked up her seventh win of the season, allowing five and two runs (one earned), while striking out three batters in five innings. In game two, Sierra Valentine recorded her ninth win of the year, allowing just three hits, while striking out three batters in four shutout innings.
 
Freshman hurler Torie Adler became the RIT pitcher to ever record saves in both ends of a doubleheader in the 38-year history of the program. In game one, she entered in the sixth inning with RIT hanging on to a 3-2 lead and pitched two scoreless innings, allowing just one hit. In game two, she entered in the fifth inning with RIT up 3-0 and allowed three hits and a walk over the final three innings. 
 
In game one, Union third baseman Kim Puzo made a great over the shoulder catch on a pop up in the first inning with runners on second and third to keep the game scoreless. Two innings later, RIT's Alexa Farner made a nifty diving grab on a hard-hit liner by Courtney Casey. RIT would get on the board in the bottom of the third inning, as Erin Guinan singled and scored on a run-scoring triple by Danielle Hotz. Hotz would later score on a wild pitch to make it 2-0. Union would answer right back in the fourth on a run-scoring double by Carli Voellm to cut the RIT lead to 2-1. In the bottom half of the fourth inning, Sarah Thayer would single in Emily Lazarus, who reached on an error to up the lead back to two runs, 3-1. Union would add an unearned run of its own in the fifth inning to complete the scoring.
 
In game two, RIT would score three times in the bottom of the third inning. After a single by Thayer and double by Farner put runners on second and third, Guinan would lace a double just over third base, down the left field line to plate both runners. Hotz would rip a double to right field to score Guinan. In the fifth inning, Hotz would single with two outs, move to second on a wild pitch and score on a single by Tori Blaker to give RIT a 4-0 lead. The Dutchwomen would get on the board in the sixth inning, as Brianna Godlewski lifted a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Dana Dolinko from third base. Adler would prevent further damage by coercing back-to-back pop outs with a runner on to get out of the inning. 
 
Dolinko, Union's pitcher, would take the loss in both games. She went the distance in game one, allowing five hits and three runs (two earned). In game two, she allowed four hits and three runs in three innings. Kara Brown allowed an unearned run and two hits in three innings of relief in game two.

Union plays another Liberty League doubleheader Saturday at Rochester.