Softball splits with Brockport; falls, 2-0, walks-off 10-9 victory

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The RIT Softball team split a doubleheader with visiting Brockport, falling, 2-0, in the opener before walking off with a 10-9 victory in game-two.
 
GAME 2 – RIT 10, BROCKPORT 9

• Junior Lillian Rienstra finished 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI, including the walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh to plate first-year Emma Merkley with the deciding run.
• Junior Bailey Kehl also went 2-for-4 with two RBI while first-year Maria Minemier was 1-for-3 with her first collegiate home run, three runs scored and two RBI.
• The teams traded runs in the first inning, including a RBI single by Kehl, before the Tigers took a 2-1 lead with an unearned run in the second on a Rienstra infield single.
• The Golden Eagles plated a pair of runs in the top of the fourth for a 3-2 lead, but RIT responded with three in the bottom of the inning to reclaim a 5-3 edge. Merkley scored Minemier from third on a single to left, before stealing second and advancing to third on an RBI groundout by senior Elise Guth that scored sophomore Marissa Giuntoli. Kehl later brought home Merkley with a single up the middle.
• Both teams scored twice in the fifth inning, including a two-out, two-run double to left by Merkley that pushed RIT back into a 7-5 lead.
• Brockport plated an unearned run in the top of the sixth and brought home three runs in the seventh for a 9-7 lead.
• In the bottom of the seventh, sophomore Jessica Majot was hit by a pitch before Minemier tied the game with a shot over the left field fence. Giutoli drew a walk but was forced out at second on a ground ball hit by Merkley. Guth drew a two-out walk to advance Merkley to second before Rienstra brought home Merkley with a single to right for the walk-off win.
• First-year Katie Schneider struck out six in the complete game victory. 

GAME 1 – BROCKPORT 2, RIT 0

• Brockport scored a run in the third and another in the fifth while RIT was held to three runs in the opening setback.
• Majot took the complete game loss, only allowing five hits and two walks while striking out three. 

WHAT'S NEXT
RIT is schedule to host back-to-back Liberty League doubleheaders this Friday and Saturday (Apr. 12-13), taking on St. Lawrence (2:00 p.m./4:00 p.m.) and Clarkson (1:00 p.m./3:00 p.m.), respectively.