Houghton, NY – Sophomore Rhea Coad (Wheatfield, NY) finished the day with six hits nearly completing a late-inning comeback for the SUNY Canton softball team but the Roos dropped a pair of road games to Houghton College, 6-5 and 7-4, on Thursday.

Game 1

After three innings of scoreless play in the opener it was the hosts who erupted for a six-run fourth inning. Three of the runs to cross the plate were of the unearned variety. The Roos would respond with five runs in the sixth and seventh innings getting the tying run all the way to third.

Kaleigh Foran (Fort Ann, NY) led off the sixth inning with a single. With two outs Coad doubled home Foran and later scored on a Shannon Dowling (Oneida, NY) base hit. Stephanie LaValley (Champlain, NY) came on to pitch in relief in the sixth inning replacing starter Annie Sharlow (Malone, NY). LaValley sat down Houghton 1-2-3 in the sixth with a foul out and pair of groundouts.

With one out in the top of the seventh Arianna Maldonado (Utica, NY) started the rally with a single through the right side of the infield. After Kristyn Reynolds (Malone, NY) reached on a fielder's choice the Roos would go to work with just one out remaining in the game.

Foran singled and Bri Slater (Canajoharie, NY) followed with an RBI single to plate Reynolds. Coad emptied the bases with a 2 RBI triple, as she represented the tying run on third. However, after a Houghton pitching change the Highlanders would record the final out of the game on a strike out.

Game 2

The Highlanders got off to a quick start in game two scoring three runs in the bottom of the first. SUNY Canton would get one back in the third inning when Foran reached base on a one out single. With two down Coad used a base hit to get Foran into scoring position. Stefanie Miller (Latham, NY) came up in the clutch with an RBI single to center.

Houghton added one run each in the third and fourth innings to open up a 5-1 lead after four innings. SUNY Canton struck for three runs in the top of the fifth to get within one. Slater used a one out single to right center to get the inning going.

Coad continued to show off a hot bat doubling to put runners at second and third for Miller. The freshman outfielder singled through the right side of the infield to score Slater. Dowling drove in another run on a base hit back up the middle. After a wild pitch Sharlow would bring Miller across the plate but the Roos were unable to tie the game leaving the bases loaded.

The Highlanders seized the momentum back in the bottom half of the fifth with a pair of runs to hold a 7-4 advantage. The Roos went down in order in the sixth but Dowling laced a one out triple in the seventh. Houghton was able to close the door with a pair of strike outs to earn the sweep.

Makenzie Rowe (Gouverneur, NY) got her first career start scattering eight hits and three walks over six innings. She struck out four batters on the day.

Coad had a monster day for the Roos going 6-for-7 driving in three runs and scoring twice. She also produced a double and triple. Foran was the only other player to have a pair of multi-hit games as she went 4-for-8 scoring three times.

The softball team has a week off before it is scheduled to travel cross-town next Thursday for a doubleheader against St. Lawrence University beginning at 3:30 p.m.