PURCHASE, N.Y. – Coming off a tough loss less than 24 hours ago, the Purchase softball team got right back to work Friday at home, sweeping the Gryphons of Sarah Lawrence College in Skyline Conference action.
Purchase (10-11, 6-3 Skyline) used a two-run fourth inning to pull ahead and held Sarah Lawrence (0-10, 0-6 Skyline) scoreless over the final three innings to record a 2-1 victory in the opener. The Panthers carried that momentum into game two, scattering eight hits across three innings for the 6-4 win, and the sweep.
Game One: Purchase 2, Sarah Lawrence 1
Both teams were dismissed in order in the opening 2.5 innings. Sarah Lawrence was first to break the scoring ice, driving in a run on an Alexa Zartman-Ball single to right field.
Purchase answered back in the bottom of the frame with a pair of runs to take a 2-1 lead. Back-to-back singles from rookies
Olivia Audia (FR/Deer Park, NY) and
Rebecca Bronzi (FR/Lagrangeville, NY) lit the charge before
Jaiya Hewitt (SR/Kingston, NY) recorded an RBI fielder's choice that pushed Audia across home plate.
Alexandria Perez (SR/Bronx, NY) tallied the game-winning RBI with a double to left center, bringing Bronzi in from third to score (2-1).
Starting pitcher
Kelly Agostini (SR/Centereach, NY) fanned two of three batters in the top of the fifth for the 1-2 punch and a popup caught by Audia notched the third out to close the inning.
The Panthers dismissed the Gryphons in order again in the seventh to secure the 2-1 victory.
Game Two: Purchase 6, Sarah Lawrence 4
The Panthers notched three hits in the bottom of the first inning to jump out to an early 2-0 lead.
Brianna Palermo (JR/Hyde Park, NY) led off with a bunt single and advanced to third when Audia came up clutch with a perfectly placed ball into left field. Palermo scored on a wild pitch with Agostini at the plate. Agostini then grounded out to the shortstop to push Audia across home, 2-0.
Sarah Lawrence made a comeback in the top of the fourth with a trio of scores to lead, 3-2, but Purchase stole the advantage back with four runs in the bottom half of the frame.
Zanaia Godette (JR/Queens, NY) batted in the tying run (3-3) with a single down the left field line. With one out on the board, a Sarah Lawrence error would drive in a pair of Purchase runs, including the go-ahead tally that eventually earned PC the sweep.
Palermo and Audia led the Panthers in game two with two hits apiece.
Tossing her second complete-game of the day and third appearance in less than 48 hours, Agostini (8-7) collected a notable six strikeouts for the win. Amassing 117 pitches over seven innings of work, Agostini gave up four runs on seven hits with one walk.
Up Next
Purchase will return to Newburgh, N.Y. for a previously rained out Skyline Conference game against Mount Saint Mary College. First pitch is set for Apr. 20 at 3 p.m.
