BRONXVILLE, N.Y. - The Sarah Lawrence softball team started Skyline play with a pair of home victories over Yeshiva University on Sunday afternoon. The Gryphons defeated the Maccabees by scores of 10-0 and 12-0 as first year Caileigh Koenig tossed a no-hitter in the opening game. 

Notable Performers

• Koenig tossed five no-hit innings, allowing just two baserunners and striking out eight. The first year also drove in five runs while scoring four
• Shirin Pechefsky tossed a complete game shutout in game two, allowing a pair of hits while driving in four runs across the two wins
• Nicaia Sharp totaled four hits and reached base six times in the doubleheader, scoring four SLC runs
• Claire Rollins tallied four hits and four RBIs in the pair of wins

How it Happened

The Gryphons asserted themselves early in game one, as Koenig set the Maccabees down in order before back-to-back singles by Sharp and Kyra Johnsen put runners on the corners with no outs. Koenig reached on a YU error just one batter later to bring around Sharp and keep a pair of Gryphons on the basepaths, continuing the early offensive surge. Malia Rode talked to load the bases before a wild pitch moved everyone up 60 feet and brought Johnsen around to give SLC a 2-0 advantage. Isabella Boissonnault came up to the plate next with two runners in scoring position, grounding out but bringing around another run to the plate for a three-run lead. Rollins stepped up with a double in the left-center gap, bringing Rode in to score before advancing to third on a wild pitch just moments later. After moving up, a Pechefsky ground ball brought Rollins around to score and gave the team a fifth first-inning score. An inning-ending strikeout brought the Maccabees back to the plate, but another one-two-three inning for Koenig on the mound brought the Gryphons back to bat after a short half-inning. Eva Anderson got the inning started with a single down the right field line before Sharp added another hit, this time through the right side as the Gryphons got a pair of baserunners with nobody out. Two batters later, Koenig drove a ball to the left-center gap and ended up on third base, 60 feet away and with the Gryphons two runs richer. Rode followed suit with an infield single to drive in the SLC starter before Boissonnault walked to give SLC another baserunner. Rollins drove in Rode with an infield single to increase the lead to nine, but the Gryphons would go down via a flyout and a fielder's choice as Yeshiva returned to bat in the bottom of the second. A YU walk to start the inning ended Koenig's shot at perfection, but the first year responded with a trio of strikeouts to keep the Maccabees scoreless. Back-to-back doubles from Johnson and Koenig in the bottom of the frame increased SLC's lead to double-digits and the two teams would speed through the final two minutes as the Gryphons held on for a shutout victory with Koenig fittingly fanning the final two batters of the game.

In game two, another early offensive outburst from SLC set the tone, despite more scoring chances for the Maccabees. The visitors loaded the bases in the top of the first thanks to a pair of walks and a single, but Pechefsky shut down the threat with a strikeout swinging to send the Gryphons up to bat with a chance to take another early lead. Sharp continued her early-inning success, leading off for SLC with a single up the middle and giving the Gryphons an early threat on the bases. A pair of walks loaded the bases for the hosts, before back-to-back two-RBI singles from Rollins and Pechefsky propelled the team into a four-run lead. A groundout ended the inning and sent SLC into the second inning with a comfortable advantage. The Maccabees got a runner on base via a walk in the top of the frame, but back-to-back strikeouts eliminated the threat and returned the Gryphons to the plate. Anderson started the inning off by reaching base on a YU error before back-to-back walks from Sharp and Johnsen loaded the bases. A fielder's choice cut down Johnsen at second but brought around Anderson and put runners on the corners with just one out. Rode singled through the left side to bring in another score before an error moments later allowed Koenig to score after the first year stole third the batter prior. A flyout ended the inning and stranded one, but the Gryphons had extended their lead to 8-0, with Pechefsky continuing to hold the Maccabees at bay. After YU got the leadoff batter on via an error, Rode and Miriam Kanter-Goodell combined for a double play at cleared the bases and continued to keep the Visitors from getting a run across. Pechefsky fanned the final YU batter of the inning to close out the top of the third and sent the Gryphons back to the plate with a chance to add to their eight-run lead. Kanter-Goodell, Anderson and Sharp would all reach base for SLC, but a pair of fielders' choices and an inning-ending popup kept the score at 8-0 heading into the fourth, with the Gryphons still in position for a shortened victory. The Maccabees registered a single hit in the fourth, but Kanter-Goodell fielder a groundball and took it to the bag at first to end the inning and keep the visitors off the board once again. Boissonnault started a one-out rally in the bottom of the frame with a walk, before another hit from Rollins put a pair of runners on base with the red-hot Pechefsky coming to the plate. The pitcher helped herself with an RBI-single before Kanter-Goodell walked to load the bases. Sharp and Johnsen each registered RBI-singles before Koenig walked to bring around the team's 12th score of the day, sending the team into the top of the fifth with a 12-0 lead. After another Kanter-Goodell unassisted play at first, Pechefsky completed a terrific outing with a pair of strikeouts to end the day and give SLC a second shutout against the Maccabees.

Up Next

The Gryphons (2-8, Skyline 2-0) will return to action for a non-conference clash with Baruch on Tuesday, March 24th in Bronxville. The Gryphons and Bearcats will battle starting at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday at Mary LeVine field.