Syracuse, N.Y. – Sophomore third baseman Kirsten Trotta (Wilmington, Del./Alexis I. Dupont) had three hits, including a home run, in the opener and freshman pitcher Chelsea Claflin (Lacona, N.Y./Sandy Creek) tossed seven scoreless innings in the nightcap to lead the Le Moyne College softball team to a sweep of The College of Saint Rose on Wednesday afternoon at the Thomas J. Niland Athletic Complex. The Dolphins won the Northeast-10 Conference match-up, 6-2, and posted a 1-0 win in the non-conference game.
With the sweep, the Dolphins won three of the four games with the Golden Knights this season to earn the softball point in the year-long "Upstate Challenge" between the two institutions. Through 17 contests, Saint Rose holds a 6-5 lead, with the points for women's tennis (Saturday), men's lacrosse (next Wednesday) and baseball (next Tuesday and the 29th, CSR won the first game last Thursday) still up for grabs.
Le Moyne jumped out to a lead in the first inning of the opening game with one run on two hits with two outs. Following a one-out walk by senior second baseman Sarah Tram (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool), Trotta singled through the left side with two outs. Sophomore left fielder Allison Reynolds (Penfield, N.Y./Penfield) followed with a single up the middle to drive in Tram.
The Dolphins doubled their lead in the fourth inning on a leadoff home run to right field by Trotta.
Le Moyne blew the game open with four runs on five hits in the fifth inning. Sophomore first baseman Cara Cawley (Endwell, N.Y./Maine-Endwell) singled to left field with one out and then was replaced at first by freshman pinch-runner Morgan Hope (Binghamton, N.Y./Chenango Valley). Following a single in front of the plate by freshman shortstop Courtney Case (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Mendon) and an infield fly, which allowed Hope to take third, freshman center fielder Sabrina Riley (Deer Park, N.Y./Deer Park) tripled down the right field line to drive in Hope and Case. Trotta followed with a single to right center to knock in Riley, while Reynolds capped the scoring in the frame with a double to right center to plate Trotta.
Saint Rose got on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth with two runs on two hits. After a one-out bunt single by center fielder Amber Loussedes, first baseman Olivia Reeves launched a two-run homer over the fence in right.
Senior southpaw Sarah Harrison (Canandaigua, N.Y./Cobleskill-Richmondville) earned her 10th win of the season in the circle after striking out 11 batters, the 21st time in her career she's struck out double-digit batters, while yielding two runs on five hits. In addition to her three hits, Trotta drove in two runs and scored twice, while Reynolds posted a pair of hits. Nicole Wickham took the loss for the Golden Knights after allowing six runs on eight hits over six innings, while striking out one batter.
In the nightcap, the Dolphins scored the game's only run on one hit and a Saint Rose error. Case doubled to right center with two outs, stole third and then scored on a throwing error by the catcher.
Claflin allowed only one base-runner to reach second base en route to recording her sixth victory of the season. She struck out two batters and scattered four hits. Case finished the game with two of Le Moyne's four hits to extend her streak of getting on base to 22 games. Danielle Dayton took the loss for the Golden Knights after giving up the unearned run on four hits over four and one-third innings pitched.
Le Moyne (17-9, 8-2 NE-10, 5-1 SW), which has won seven straight games, including five allowing one or zero runs, closes out its three-day homestand with a doubleheader against Adelphi University on Thursday at 3:00 p.m.
