Softball claims first home wins
This past weekend, SUNY Geneseo’s softball team swept SUNY Fredonia in their conference-opening doubleheader, while claiming their first two home wins in the process. The Knights ended the first game in five innings with a dominant 11-3 victory before completing their sweep by winning their second game 10-5.
Despite a slow start in the first inning, the Knights demonstrated their resilience and determination in the second. A powerful hit off the bat of graduate student infielder Audrey Minton cleared the wall followed by consecutive run-batted-in (RBI) singles from junior outfielder Tori Guary and senior infielder Rebecca Schwartz. Their efforts propelled the Knights to a four-run advantage going into the third inning.
The Blue Devils responded with a pair of runs, but the Knights held their ground, adding another run in the third off of a single to center from Minton. The team's momentum carried into the fourth, where they put up a crooked number with singles from Schwartz, junior pitcher Kaitlyn Schmitz, and an RBI pop-up from freshman utility player Ray Schumacher. With the help of a few errors from Fredonia, the Knights maintained their focus and ended the inning with a commanding 11-2 lead. Geneseo continued to hold their ground, allowing Fredonia to score only a single run in the top of the fifth, leading to an early mercy rule decision.
Game two proved to be a testament to the team's unity and collaboration. Right from the start, a sacrifice fly ball from Schumacher and a double from sophomore infielder Bella Nadzan, combined with more errors from Fredonia, created a 4-0 lead for the Knights. After a scoreless inning, the Blue Devils managed to pull together some runs with several doubles in the third inning, but the Knights, united and determined, still led 4-3.
In the bottom of the third, the team responded with a double from Nadzan and a sacrifice fly ball from junior catcher Haley Coombs, extending the Knights' lead by two runs. A double from Coombs and a single from sophomore infielder Gabriella Smith gave the Knights another two runs in the fifth inning. A pair of runs followed after a single from Minton in the sixth inning, further widening the gap with a score of 10-3. Despite Fredonia's efforts, the Knights united in their goal and closed the second game of the weekend with a 10-5 win over the Blue Devils.
Geneseo's pitching and offense were the stars of the show against Fredonia with Schmitz recording six strikeouts in five innings in the first game, and junior pitcher Sydney Bolton tallying seven strikeouts in six frames in the second. On the offensive side, Minton, Schwartz, and Guary led the offense in game one with two RBIs, while Nadzan led the team with three RBIs in game two.
The Knights will take on the SUNY Oswego Lakers in another doubleheader on the road on Friday, Apr. 12, at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. The Knights walked away with two landslide victories the last time they met, and will be looking to do the same this coming week. Geneseo recorded their game-highs in both stolen bases and triples against the Lakers, asserting their dominance on the offensive side as they did against the Blue Devils this past weekend.