UR Women’s Softball (URSB) beat the SUNY Geneseo Knights twice in a double-header on Saturday.
The first game started off slow but controversial, with the Knights (5–7) remaining scoreless after the top of the first inning. In the bottom of that inning, however, the Yellowjackets (7–11) came close to scoring, but a runner’s interference call caused the ‘Jackets to leave the bottom of the first with nothing.
After a slow first few innings, the top of the third brought much excitement.
Various Geneseo players were hitting everything URSB pitcher and junior Eleni Wechsler threw. With the bases loaded, a Knight hit a pitch that appeared to be a home run, but ended up as a foul ball.
With no runs on the board in three innings, both teams found a way to score in the fourth and fifth innings.
In the fourth inning, freshman catchers Harleigh Kaczegowicz and Rachael Pletz both scored two runs to give the Yellowjackets a 2–0 lead. In the top of the fifth, however, Geneseo’s Claire VanNewkirk hit a home run, Mikyala Moore scored off of an error by Wechsler, and Taylor Fedor’s score gave Geneseo a 3–2 lead over URSB.
This inning did not derail the Yellowjackets’ plans to win.
After tying the game up 3–3 in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Jackets did not get their chance to seal the deal until the bottom of the seventh. UR seized their chance to score, and did so in a dramatic fashion. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh, senior and two-sport athlete Kayla Kibling hit a walk-off single, which allowed for a URSB win of 4–3.
After a 30-minute break, the second game of the double header began.
The first inning was a carbon copy of the first game, with neither squad scoring a single run. Geneseo, however, scored at the top of the second off another UR error, which seemed to be a trend since the first game. On cue, UR sophomore fielder Jocelynn Blackshear changed the momentum of the game with a two-run shot, giving the Jackets a 2–1 lead.
The Knights weren’t giving up yet, however.
Geneseo’s Danni Napoli crushed a home run at the top of the third to give the Knights a 3–2 lead and change the momentum of the game. After this two-run shot, the URSB team stiffened up and gave up no more runs for the rest of the game. The ‘Jackets found a way to score, tying the game 3–3. This came off of a Knight’s infield error, allowing Blackshear, who was already in scoring position, to cross the plate.
In the top of sixth inning, UR miscues allowed for two Geneseo players to get on base. However, they weren’t able to capitalize. With two strikes, the Knights’ Jacqueline Santilli fouled out down the right field line, allowing Blackshear to make a sliding catch, which saved a run and sent the Knights back to the dugout without any success.
If the first inning of the second game was a carbon copy of that of the first, the last inning was nearly identical.
The second game of the double header also ended in dramatic walk-off fashion for the ‘Jackets. The rally began when sophomore outfielder Haberly Kahn singled, following by a double from junior outfielder Shelby Corning. This set up a fielder’s choice play, coming off of the ball freshman catcher Harley Kaczegowicz put in, allowing for Kahn to score the winning run.
URSB moves to 7–13, and, after getting swept by a Ithaca college on Wednesday’s double header, and will play against Buffalo State on April 5th.
