Geneseo Softball obliterates Keuka in doubleheader
Photo courtesy of Geneseo Knights
Geneseo softball dominated Keuka in game one with a 13–0 shutout before battling back to secure a 6–5 extra-inning victory, highlighted by clutch hits from Lauren Babich and a game-winning RBI double from Jane Reilly.
Last Sunday, the Geneseo Knights Softball team faced Keuka in what would turn out to be a total annihilation of the Keuka College Wolves. During the first game, the Knights took care of business quickly, tallying up runs to make it 13-0 by the bottom of the fifth. The Knights made sure to keep the winning streak alive in the second game as well, winning the game and the series with a score of 6-5 in two extra innings.
In the top of the second inning of game one, sophomore Molly Griffin was able to get a walk, while senior Gabriella Smith cranked an Runs Batted In (RBI) triple to send Griffin home. Smith was able to reach home just a few pitches later on a passed ball. Several batters later, junior Ray Schumacher had a walk that brought senior Bella Nazdan home to make the score 3-0 in the middle of the inning.
The duo of Griffin and Smith were able to have another run added to the scoreboard when Smith hit a single that sent Griffin home once again. In the bottom of the third, the Wolves were unable to score any runs once again. The top of the fourth is when the Knights really started to get the ball rolling. They scored nine runs with six hits, and Keuka couldn’t keep up. Junior Lauren Babich, senior Brooke Fraas, and Schumacher all added insult to injury with their extra base hits that helped to drive in runs.
By the end of game one, the Knights had a commanding lead, and Keuka knew they would have a ton of work to do if they wanted any chance of defeating the Knights. The Wolves made the first punch with two runs in the bottom of the first, creating a 0-2 deficit for the Knights. But in the top of the second, the Knights were already back on the board with a single from Smith and an RBI double from junior Lauren Bieniek.
Later in the game, in the fourth inning, junior Babich blasted a single home run to tie the game with a score of 2-2. Then in the fifth, the Knights took the lead for the first time in the game thanks to a walk drawn by Fraas and a double from senior Emily Sylvanus. Late in the sixth, Keuka was able to score three runs through three hits and take the lead once again with a score of 5-3 over the Knights.
The deficit meant that the Knights needed to score two runs in the seventh to keep the game tied, and they performed well under pressure. Down to their final out, Fraas and Sylvanus both managed to hit singles with an additional base hit from Schumacher that drove Fraas home. Down only a run, Babich was clutch with a double that brought Sylvanus home as well as another run to make the score 5-5. The game moved into extra innings with a new aggression from the Knights and the incredible inning they just executed. Junior Jane Reilly had the game-winning RBI double that gave the Knights the win with a final score of 6-5.
The Knights have a record of 9-6, and an undefeated record of 2-0 thus far in the Empire 8 conference. Their next game is away against the Houghton Highlanders on Apr. 3. Last time the Knights faced the Highlanders, they won with a shutout score of 8-0. Be sure to follow the Knights throughout their season and attend their next home game on Apr. 8 against RIT.