Softball Splits Doubleheader with Sage Gators

Patchogue, N.Y. – After winning game one of the twin bill, 7-4, the Lady Eagles (6-5, 1-1 Skyline) fell behind 8-0 in game two and a 7^th inning rally fell short as the Sage Gators (5-7, 1-1 Skyline) defeated SJC 8-4 on Saturday afternoon.

Despite the win in the first game, the Eagles battled from behind for most of the of the afternoon. Sage got on the board plating two unearned runs in the top of the first but the Eagles got them right back in the bottom half of the inning as Samantha Carcano (Centereach, N.Y./Newfield) and Julianne Tierney (Bethpage, N.Y./Bethpage) came across the plate for the Golden Eagles. Sage's Kovage hit a solo-shot out to dead centerfield to regain the lead for the Gators in the third but the Eagles got two runners on with two outs in the fourth and Megan Leun (Hauppauge, N.Y./Hauppauge) hit a clutch single to right field driving in two and giving the Eagles their first lead. After Leun advanced to third on a pass ball, Lindsey Corriss (Sayville, N.Y./St. Anthony's) singled to bring in Leun and extend the Eagles lead to 5-3. SJC scored two more unearned runs in the bottom of the fifth and went on to win 7-4.

Leun went 1-for-2 with 2 RBI's including her big hit that proved to be the game winner. Corriss finished 2-3 with an RBI.  Cassie Martinez (Centereach, N.Y./Centereach) went the distance for the Eagles giving up just two earned runs and fanning nine batters.

Game two began very differently for both teams as the Gators led just 1-0 heading into the fifth after the constant offense in game one. Sage exploded for four runs in the fifth including a three-run homer by Faas. The Gators tacked on a run in the sixth and two more in the seventh to extend their lead to eight as the Eagles came to the plate in their final inning. The Eagles loaded the bases with two outs and Nicole Pitta (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) stepped to the plate and drove a bases-clearing double to center field. Jen Fazio (Islip, N.Y./Islip) found the gap in right center to bring the Eagles within four, but the rally stopped there for the Lady Eagles.

Pitta went 1-for-2 with 3 RBI's after taking over for Tierney in the outfield.