A clutch run from Stella VanGee in the bottom of the sixth inning gave the St. Lawrence University softball team a crucial split of their doubleheader against Ithaca College Friday afternoon, dropping game one 3-2 before rebounding with a 1-0 victory.

The split brought the Saints' overall record to 16-11, with a 3-5 Liberty League record heading into a series against Union Saturday. The win has helped them move into a tie for fifth place in the Liberty League standings – which represents the final playoff spot in the conference.

"Today was some great ball in both games," said Rosie Phillips, the Saints' head coach. "Before these games, we talked about going 100 per cent no matter the circumstances and that's what we did today. We found a way and I'm excited for the energy we have going into our games tomorrow."

On the mound, Sofia Berryhill pitched seven innings of three-hit ball, striking out two, earning the win in the second game. In game one, Izzy Melanson got the call on the mound, also pitching seven frames, allowing one-earned run on eight hits, striking out two in the process.

In addition to Johnson, Maeve Thompson recorded an RBI triple in game one, while Emily Siansky and Stella VanGee both recorded hits on the day for the Saints.
 

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Game 1: Ithaca 3, St. Lawrence 2

After a quiet couple of innings, the Saints started the scoring in the bottom of the third. Caelen Jahnle reached on a two-base error by the Bomber shortstop, then Johnson singled up the middle to plate Jahnle, giving the Saints a 1-0 lead.

Ithaca was able to take the lead with two outs in the fifth. The Bombers singled up the middle with the bases loaded to score two and secure a one-run lead.

The Ithaca lead was short-lived though as the Saints got a single from Siansky, a fielder's choice groundout from Jahnle, then Thompson ripped a triple down the right field line to drive in the run. Jahnle scored for the second time in the afternoon, tying the game at two.

Ithaca scored again in top of the sixth, with Hudson Hassler recording an inside-the-park home run to give the Bombers a 3-2 lead – an advantage they would not relinquish.

Melanson went the whole seven innings, giving up a lone earned run on eight hits and striking out two in her outing.


 

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Game 2: Ithaca 0, St. Lawrence 1

In a pitchers' duel in game two, neither team got much going until Ithaca got a pair of runners on in the fourth. One runner reached on an error, then Jessie Lopez singled to lead off the inning. But Berryhill was able to strand the runners by getting a popup and two flyouts to preserve the 0-0 tie.

St. Lawrence spent the first few innings of the game figuring out Ithaca starting pitcher Mady Rowell, who kept the Saints out of the hit column for the first five innings of the game. Eventually, the Saints got to her in crunch time.

Berryhill kept the Bombers off the scoreboard, and the Saints offense finally broke through in the top of the sixth. With the no-hitter still in tact, VanGee got down a bunt single for St. Lawrence's first knock of the game. Vivian Johnson then drove a ball into left field for a single, and the ball got behind the left fielder. The fielding error allowed VanGee to score from first as the pitch rolled towards the wall. VanGee's run broke the ice to give the Scarlet and Brown a 1-0 lead.

Berryhill continued her dominance on the mound in the seventh, getting the Bombers down to their final out. The junior right-hander then induced a pop fly to foul territory on the left side, and Allison Kloft ventured over to the dugout to record the foul out and end the game.

Berryhill got the complete game shutout for the victory, throwing seven full innings. She allowed just three hits, no runs, no walks, and struck out two. The Pleasant Hill, Calif. native has now gone 16 innings pitched without surrendering a base on balls.


 

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Next up:

The Saints will be in action tomorrow for a double header against the Union Garnet Chargers; first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. The Garnet Chargers currently occupy the fourth spot in the Liberty League standings with a 4-4 record, right in front of St. Lawrence.