X

Saints softball split with Clarkson in home opener

Posted 4/12/15

First-year Emma Reakes hit a two-run homerun – her third of the season – to help the St. Lawrence softball team to a 2-1 come-from-behind win over Clarkson in the first game of a Liberty League …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Saints softball split with Clarkson in home opener

Posted

First-year Emma Reakes hit a two-run homerun – her third of the season – to help the St. Lawrence softball team to a 2-1 come-from-behind win over Clarkson in the first game of a Liberty League doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. The Golden Knights took the second game 9-1 in six innings to earn a split on the Saints Softball Field.

All the runs in the first game came in the fourth inning, as Clarkson jumped out to a 1-0 lead on an Erika Jensen single to left center that plated Chelsea Elliott in the top half of the frame.

Senior Brady Cooper led off the bottom of the fourth with a slap single up the middle and advanced to second on a sac bunt down the third base line by fellow senior Aisha O'Connor to set up Reakes. The Brewerton, N.Y. native fought off a pair of pitches from Clarkson pitcher Jamie Bridge before ripping a line drive over the wall in left center to put the Saints in front for good, 2-1.

Reakes and Cooper led the Saints with two hits each in the first game, while Kyle Plimpton earned another complete-game victory for her senior campaign. She allowed just four hits and one run while striking out 10 to improve to 7-3 on the season.

In the second game it was the Saints who struck first, as Aisha O'Connor started a two-out rally with a double to left center and Reakes followed with a single down the left field line that scored O'Connor for the Saints only run. Reakes drove in each of the Saints three runs on the afternoon.

Clarkson used 13 hits; including three for extra bases to build a 9-1 lead through the last four innings. The visitors took a 2-1 lead in the top half of the third inning on a two-run double by Jensen and never looked back.

They added one in the fifth and six in the sixth to put the games eight-run rule into effect.

Golden Knights' pitcher Jamie Bridge shut down the Saints on the mound, allowing just four hits and recording four strikeouts in game two, but she also lead her team at the plate; with a 3-for-4 game in the leadoff spot.

Plimpton threw five and two-thirds innings in the loss, while first-year Emma Gailey closed out the sixth inning for St. Lawrence.

After the split, the Saints are 7-6 overall and 1-1 in Liberty Games, while Clarkson sits at 11-4 overall and is also 1-1 against conference opponents.

St. Lawrence will play host to Skidmore on Sunday, April 12 for another Liberty League doubleheader. The first pitch is schedule for 1 p.m.