SCHENECTADY, NY - After an earlier 9-0 loss to the Engineers, the Dutchwomen bounced back to hand RPI its first conference loss in 6-5 walk off fashion.
GAME ONE:
RPI jumped all over Union early, taking a 5-0 lead in the top of the first. The Dutchwomen had just two hits against Engineer Sarah Harms, who also struck out five batters. RPI's bats cooled off as it went scoreless until the top of the fifth. Through the fifth and sixth innings, the Engineers tacked on four more runs to mercy the Dutchwomen. RPI totaled 13 hits during game one.
GAME TWO:
The Dutchwomen and Engineers each had seven hits apiece in game two, however first year pitcher
Makayla Koehler went the distance to throw a complete game and earn her first career victory, as well as Union's first conference win.
With a busy first inning, RPI took an early 1-0 lead. When the Dutchwomen stepped in the box, they answered back quickly. First year
Kendall Rogoff scored
Dana Dolinko on an RBI double to right field.
Kim Puzo and Koehler each followed suit with RBIs, giving Union its first lead of the day at 3-1, after one complete inning.
From there, Koehler and the Dutchwomen went back to work on defense, freezing RPI in the batters box, striking out four, and holding the Engineers to just one run until sixth inning. In the penultimate inning, an RBI double brought the Engineers within one of Union at 3-2. However, following a scoreless bottom half of the inning for Union, the Dutchwomen had three outs left to secure the victory.
After stringing a few hits together and a pair of errors from Union's defense, the Engineers took their first lead of game two and led Union 5-3 with just the bottom of the seventh left to play.
Senior
Nikki Ditizio led off the inning with a double to the center field wall. First year
Stuart Buxton followed up with a single that put runners on the corner and made a Dolinko single score
Devon Hennel, Ditizio's pinch runner, easily. Buxton later scored on an infield error and tied the game up at 5-5, with Casey standing alone on first base. With just one out, Rogoff hit a shot to the right center gap. Casey, from first, turned the wheels on and headed for home to beat the tag from RPI's catcher and win the game 6-5 in a walk off thriller.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
- Rogoff and Dolinko each had two hits in game two.
- Buxton ended the day with two hits and one run, and Puzo, Ditizio and Koehler each had a single during game two.
- Dolinko had a beautiful backhanded play at short stop this afternoon, making the long throw from the left side gap to get an RPI runner out.
- Kara Brown had two long range put outs from center field today, she ended the day with three total putouts.
- Puzo had nine assists on the day.