Newburgh, NY (May 4, 2017) – It took one tremendous pitching performance to finish off Purchase's playoff season.

Sage's Amy Hart broke Erika Daigle's 2014 single-season strikeout record of 129 with eight Ks in the Gators' 2-0 win over the Panthers in the first round of the Skyline Championship today.

Hart (11-10) was credited with the complete-game shutout while Purchase's Nicole Fortuna (SR/New Rochelle, NY) picked up the loss after giving up only one earned run.

Hart's 11th win launched the junior into sixth place in Sage's single-season wins, while also moving her up to seventh in career strikeouts.

No. 3 Sage was led at the plate by Alexa Silk, who was 3 for 3 with one run, three stolen bases and a double. Katy Rimawi had Sage's lone RBI with Allison Ford scoring the Gator's second run.

The six-seeded Panthers were led on offense by Mary Adams (SR/Milton, PA), who was 1 for 3 with a double.

In the top of the first, the Panthers had runners on second and third with two outs, but Hart forced a foul fly to keep Purchase off the board.

Sage responded in the bottom of the inning when Silk scored on a single and three stolen bases to put the Gators up 1-0. Sage added a second run on a Rimawi RBI.

After a scoreless second inning, Sage had runners on first and second with two outs in the bottom of the third, but Fortuna forced a groundout to keep the score 2-0.

Purchase answered with a one-out double from Adams in the top of the fourth, but the shortstop was left stranded after a popup and strikeout.

In the bottom of the inning, Hart hit a two-out double to right center, but a groundout to the shortstop kept the Gators from scoring.

Sage had one of their best scoring chances in the bottom of the fifth with runners on second and third with two outs before a groundout to the third baseman ended the inning.

Fortuna nearly matched Hart zero for zero, aside from the runs in the first.  

Purchase started off the sixth inning with runners on first and second and only one out on the board. A fielder's choice took the lead runner for the second out.

Hart then forced the next batter to fly out to keep the shutout going.

Sage tried to extend their lead in the bottom of the sixth with two runners on, but a line drive to Victoria Capone-Froio (JR/Yonkers, NY) at second kept the game 2-0.

In a must score seventh inning, Purchase's April Uhl (SR/Jackson Heights, NY) lead off with a single through the left side. A popup to second placed one out on the board before a Fortuna single up the middle placed runners on first and second.

The Gator defense came up huge the following batter on a 3-6 double-play by Kiersten Duncan and Jessica Adams to end the game.

With Sage's win over the Panthers, the Gators (20-17) advance to the four-team double-elimination bracket with No. 1 Mount Saint Mary (24-12), No. 2 St. Joseph's-LI (19-15) and No. 4 Farmingdale State (22-17).

The loss ends Purchase's season at 10-17 overall.

-Sage Sports Information Contributed to this report