Both teams needed sweeps to stay alive in the Liberty League post-season picture, but only Skidmore would be successful in that regard as the Thoroughbreds took two from the Clarkson University Softball team on Saturday afternoon, 5-0 and 10-8, at Scott Field.

The Golden Knights fell to 18-11 overall and 3-7 in conference games, while Skidmore is very much alive in the conference playoff picture at 14-16 overall and 5-5 in league games. For Clarkson to have any chance at the conference playoffs, the team needs a sweep and a lot of things to go its way on the out of town scoreboard on Sunday.

In the opener both teams had opportunities throughout the game, but only Skidmore came through with any run-scoring production. Skidmore scored three times in the third inning, sparked by a one-out bunt single from Abby Shea. The senior then stole second and came home on a single from Dani DeGregory. A dropped fly ball allowed DeGregory to score and Casey Attonito delivered another run-scoring hit for a second unearned run in the inning. Both runs in the fourth were earned however, as a two-out walk by Shea was enough to get things going again. DeGregory immediately followed with a home run to center to complete the scoring. Clarkson wasn't as lucky on offense, though the Knights had runners in scoring position in the first, second, fourth and fifth innings, with all hitting second base with less than two outs in each inning except for the first.

Schwenzfeier finished 2-for-2 with a walk to lead Clarkson's offense, while DeGregory and Cassie Fishkin each had two hits for Skidmore. Jamie Bridge took her fourth loss of the season, allowing eight hits and a walk over seven innings for the Knights. Amanda Carilli gave up only five hits and a walk in seven frames for Skidmore.

In game two, both offenses were clicking from the get-go. Skidmore got a leadoff single from Dani DeGregory and she came home on a triple by Lauren Fortunato. Clarkson's first inning run was almost identical as the Thoroughbreds, beginning with a leadoff single and a steal from Raeanna Dunn, with Dunn coming home on a triple from Jamie Bridge. In the bottom half of the second, Clarkson picked up another run when Ali Schwenzfeier came home on a throwing error after advancing to third on a single from Erika Jensen, but that lead would be brief as Skidmore rallied for four runs in the top half of the third. Three run-scoring doubles highlighted the inning for the Thoroughbreds. Clarkson picked up a run in the bottom half of the third on a Jamie Bridge single that sent Summer Lancette home easily.

The scoring was far from complete, though, after a quiet fourth inning. Clarkson scored three times in the bottom of the fifth. Chelsea Elliott drove in two on a double and then came home on a wild pitch to give Clarkson a brief lead, but Skidmore got a leadoff home run from MacKenzie Whiting in the sixth to tie the game once again. However, Skidmore was far from done in the inning. Abby Shea tripled home a run and then came in on a DeGregory double for an 8-6 Skidmore advantage. The Thoroughbreds got one more on a bases loaded hit by pitch and then picked up their final run of the game in the top of the seventh on a hit from Lizette Roman-Johnston.

With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Ali Schwenzfeier singled harmlessly through the left side to give Clarkson a baserunner, but she was followed by four more hits that gave Clarkson two runs. With the bases loaded, however, Skidmore was finally able to wiggle out of the jam and complete the sweep.

Schwenzfeier completed an outstanding day with a 4-for-4 effort in game two, while Bridge was 3-for-4. Both Katelin Ferguson and Erika Jensen also recorded multi-hit games. For Skidmore, five players had at least two hits, led by three-hit efforts from Fortunato and Roman-Johnston.