The softball team moved to 17-13 on the season after splitting two games with Canisius yesterday. The Red took the first game 4-1 but allowed five runs in the first inning of the second game and lost 5-4.
Sophomore Sarah Sterman earned her ninth win of the year and pitched a total of 16 innings for the day in the split.
During that first game, the Griffs got an early run in the first inning, but did not reach second base for the remainder of the game.
This lead held until the fourth inning, when the Red hit three straight two-out singles. Freshman Melissa Heintz hit one deep into left field to drive in sophomore Kate Varde to tie the score.
This tie was broken in the following inning, as senior captain Annette Sheppard scored off a shot from sophomore Melissa Cannon.
Senior Kristen Hricenak added the final punch with her second home run of the season, which sent in Heintz, who reached first after being hit by a pitch.
Sterman gave up eight hits, struck out nine batters, and walked none.
In the second game, the Red got right to work, sending in three runs in the first inning. Sophomore Sandra Alvarez hit a one-out double and was sent home two batters later by freshman Lauren May. It was May’s 13th homerun of the season. Following May, Hricenak sent her second shot of the day out of the park to give Cornell a 3-0 lead.
This lead was not to hold, as the Griffs’ first six batters got on base. Sterman replaced sophomore Nicole LePera, but Canisius had already made its mark.
Senior Julie Staub cut the lead to 5-4 in the seventh with her first home run of the year, but the Red was unable to put anymore on the board.
Canisius pitcher Andrea Bunton recorded 12 strikeouts and earned the win, bringing her record to 3-0.
Cornell is back in action this weekend, as it hits the road to take on Ivy League foes Brown and Yale. The doubleheader on Saturday will pit the 5-13 Brown squad against Cornell, and Sunday will be a showdown between a 14-12 Yale team and the Red. Cornell is currently tied for third place, while Yale and Brown are tied for sixth. Princeton is sitting at the top of the Ivy standings with an unblemished 6-0 record.
Archived article by Kristen Haunss