PURCHASE, N.Y. – Purchase College softball took its first Skyline losses of the season Tuesday afternoon, despite some notable performances from the Panther defense. St. Joseph's College (L.I.) earned an 8-1 win in the opener and capped the twin bill with a 5-0 shutout victory.
The pair of losses snapped a six-game winning streak for Purchase, dropping the Panthers to 8-10 overall and 4-2 in the Skyline. St. Joe's moved to 7-10 overall and 4-4 in the league.
Game One: St. Joe's 8, Purchase 1
Golden Eagle senior Lindsay Ness recorded the first RBI—a single to left field that scored teammate Lauren Crawf—to put the visitors ahead, 1-0, in the top of the first inning.
Both teams went scoreless over the next 4.5 innings until SJC fired off six combined runs (3 apiece) over the fifth and sixth frames.
It was 7-0 SJC heading into the bottom of the sixth, but Purchase snapped the shutout attempt thanks to senior
Kelly Agostini (Centereach, NY). The Panther veteran hit a single up the middle, sending junior teammate Brianna Palmero (Hyde Park, NY) across home plate. Unfortunetly, the RBI performance would be the first and only for hosts.
St. Joe's knocked in one more run in the top of the seventh and held Purchase hitless in the bottom of the frame to secure the 8-1 victory.
Golden Eagle pitcher Olivia Verdosa improved to 3-2 on the season after striking out five, walking three, while giving up just one run over seven innings of work.
Agostini (6-5) also pitched a complete-game inside the circle, despite being tagged with the loss. The senior right-hander tossed 114 pitches, giving up eight runs (6 ER) on 13 hits and two walks, with two strikeouts.
Game Two: St. Joe's 5, Purchase 0
St. Joe's produced a pair of runs in the first inning and tacked on one in the second and another in the third, to jump out to an early 4-0 lead.
Agostini snapped the Golden Eagle scoring run in top of the fourth after recording three-consecutive defensive stops. A lineout, groundout and popup to Agostini made for a quick three that retired the frame.
Purchase later attempted a comeback in the bottom of the fifth. Olivia McClellan (FR/Corning, NY) led off with a bunt and
Julia Marsala (SO/Shoreham, NY) reached on an error by the pitcher. With runners at first and second,
Jade D'Errico (Shoreham, NY) placed the perfect sacrifice bunt to advance both runners. A strikeout and walk followed, resulting in bases loaded with two outs on the board. Despite the offensive surge, Purchase was unable to capitalize. A groundout to the second baseman closed the inning, leaving three Panthers stranded on base.
In the sixth, St. Joe's batted in the final run of the game on a Lauren Crawford RBI triple down the right field line.
SJC's Alexa Tenety (1-3) recorded 10 strikeouts in the 5-0 shutout to earn her first win of season. The junior right-hander gave up four runs and four walks, and held Purchase scoreless over seven innings of work.
Returning to the circle for the seventh-consecutive game, Agostini (6-6) gave up five runs on nine hits without a single walk. She recorded one strikeout over six innings.
Up Next
Purchase looks to bounce back this Thursday as the Panthers take to the road for a Skyline twin bill at Mount Saint Mary College. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m.
