JAMAICA, N.Y. - The Sarah Lawrence women's softball team dominated both games in Monday's doubleheader against York College, highlighted by
Malia Rode's game-two grand slam that helped power the Gryphons to a 16-7 victory. The team won game one 17-3 as they outscored the Cardinals 33-10 on the day.
Notable Performers
- Caileigh Koenig tossed ten innings, striking out 15 batters and allowing only two hits. The first year added 4 RBIs at the plate for SLC
- Rode's grand slam counted for four of the sophomore's seven RBIs on the day while reaching base six times
- Kyra Johnsen and Claire Rollins registered four hits each as the Gryphons swept the Cardinals
How it Happened
In game one, Rollins got the Gryphons rolling with a single before stealing second to put a runner in scoring position with one out. Rode walked to join the first year on the basepaths before Koenig helped herself out with a two-run double. Two batters later,
Shirin Pechefsky singled to bring Koenig around and put the Gryphons up 3-0 before even taking the field. The Cardinals loaded the bases in the bottom half of the frame before a foul out, fielding error and wild pitch each brought around a score to tie the game at three runs apiece. A scoreless second inning left the teams at a stalemate, but the Gryphons rallied once again in the third, plating five runs thanks to a fielders choice, an error and another single by Rollins that put SLC up 8-3. Koenig set the hosts down 1-2-3 in the bottom half before a pair of bases-loaded walks put the visitors ahead by seven. Johnsen continued to blow the game open with a two-run single before Rollins tallied a third hit to drive in the team's 13th run. A York error plated two more before
Isabella Boissonnault brought around Rode via a sacrifice fly and Koenig scored the team's 17th and final run on another York blunder. Johnsen and Rollins each reached base again in the fifth, but the Gryphons did not add another score as the visitors held on for a 17-3 victory.
Despite the grand slam highlighting game two, it was a first-inning double by Rode that got the Gryphons on the board. After Johnsen and Rollins reached base and each moved into scoring position via a passed ball, Rode brought around both with a double to right-center. Koenig brought the sophomore around to put SLC up 3-0 as the Gryphons took a similar lead to game one. This time, the Cardinals rallied for two runs in response, as a pair of walks put traffic on the basepaths before a two-run single reduced the SLC lead to just one run. Koening induced a flyout to end the inning and limit the damage as the Gryphons returned to the plate. Rollins and Rode each reached base in the second, using a wild pitch to score as both runners crossed the plate to put the Gryphons ahead by three runs once again. This time, the Cardinals would not push across any runs, going down quietly as SLC looked to build on its 5-2 lead. A leadoff single by Boissonnault got things started for SLC before a pair of walks brought the junior around to score. Johnsen singled with the bases loaded to plate two more runs before Rollins earned hit number four on the day to load the bases for Rode. The sophomore would continue a strong showing, driving one to left field and racing around the basepaths to score, putting SLC up 12-2 and in control of the game. York would get a home run of their own in the bottom half, but would trail 12-5 after three innings. Both teams went down quietly in the fourth before the SLC bats woke up, tacking on four more runs in the fifth thanks to six walks and a hit by
Miriam Kanter-Goodell. The Gryphons allowed two York scores in the bottom of the fifth, but wrapped up the day with a 16-7 game-two victory.
Up Next
The Gryphons (4-18, Skyline 2-4) will return to action, and conference play, on Saturday, April 18th as the team head to Old Westbury for a noon matchup with the Panthers.
