Softball Rallies For Day Two Split At Winthrop Invitational

BOX ONE  I  BOX TWO

ROCK HILL, S.C. – Scoring three runs in the top of the seventh, the University at Albany softball team rallied to steal a 10-8 victory over the hosting Winthrop Eagles for the second straight day, Saturday at Terry Field. Down to their final out, freshman McKenzie Bump tied the game with an RBI triple and senior Kelly Costello came through in the clutch with a two-run home run for the win. The Great Danes came up just short in the Winthrop Invitational day two opener, falling 5-4 to Lehigh. With the split, UAlbany is now 3-5 on the season.

In game one, Lehigh took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third, stringing together a pair of singles.

UAlbany threatened in the fourth, loading the bases, and put two runners on in the fifth, but Mountain Hawk pitcher Emily Sorem worked her way out of the jams and kept the Great Danes off the board through six innings.

Likewise, UAlbany freshman Celeste Verdolivo held Lehigh at bay until the Mountain Hawks scored four runs in the top of the seventh, combining four hits and an error for a 5-0 advantage.

Down to their final three outs, the Danes answered with four runs of their own to cut the deficit to one, starting when Costello and senior Maggie Cocks lined back-to-back doubles and junior Liz Snow belted a two-run home run over the left field fence. With one out, junior Mackenzie Cleary reached on an error, bringing the tying run to the plate. Reliever Christine Campbell logged the second out, but sophomore Donna Conrad countered with an RBI single to left, making the score 5-4. However, Conrad was caught in a rundown to end the game.

Lehigh starter Emily Sorem earned the win, giving up four runs (three earned) and six hits in 6.1 innings, while Campbell picked up the save.

For UAlbany, Verdolivo took the loss, allowing five runs (three earned) and nine hits in the complete game.

Offensively, Bump (2-for-4) and Snow (2-for-3) led the Danes with two hits apiece.

In the nightcap against Winthrop, UAlbany accelerated out to a 3-0 lead, scoring a run in the first on Snow's RBI single to center and two in the second on Bump's RBI double and Costello's run-scoring single to right.

However, the Eagles answered with four runs in the bottom of the frame, taking advantage of three straight walks with two outs and back-to-back two-run doubles for a 4-3 advantage.

UAlbany responded with fourth runs of its own in the third, as Snow led off with a solo homer, and with two outs, the Danes drew three straight bases loaded walks to take a 7-4 lead.

In the fourth, Winthrop grouped together four more runs, using a pair of home runs, two singles, and three walks to their advantage for an 8-7 edge.

However, those would be the final runs for the Eagles, as reliever Devin Durando held the Eagles scoreless in her 3.2 innings in the circle.

With one out in the seventh, Conrad drew a walk and advanced to second on Kayla Bailey's sacrifice bunt, setting up Bump and Costello's heroics.

Durando earned the win, relieving junior Caitlin Cooper who tossed the opening three and a third.

The Great Danes totaled 10 hits in the victory, as Bump, Costello, Snow, and Conrad finished with two hits each.

Up next, UAlbany wraps up its time at the Winthrop Invitational on Sunday, taking on Lehigh at 10 a.m.