POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - The Marist softball team moved above .500 for the first time in the 2012 season with another 20-hit effort, as they swept Saint Peter's in a MAAC doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. The Red Foxes moved into a tie atop the MAAC standings with a 5-2 win in Game One and a 6-3 decision in Game Two.
In a complete team effort, senior Ashley Corriss (Sayville, N.Y.) and her .714 (5-7) batting average and two doubles led an offense that featured five batters with .400-plus batting averages and eight extra-base hits. Home run hitters in the doubleheader included: juniors Danielle Koltz (Chenango Bridge, N.Y.) and Sarah Carmody (Camarillo, Calif.) and sophomores Alyssa Zahka (Lexington, Mass.) and Aly Klemmer (Hamilton, N.J.). In the circle, freshmen Melanie White (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) and Janine Lalli (Eastchester, N.Y.) collected wins, while junior Emily Osterhaus (Suwanee, Ga.) earned a save.
GAME 1, MARIST 5 -SAINT PETER'S 2: In a similar fashion to both games of Thursday's doubleheader versus Bucknell, the Red Foxes jumped out to an early lead in the first inning against the Peahens. Corriss got the offense going with a first pitch double to right-center field. After advancing to third on single by Koltz, senior Nicole DiVirgilio (Aston, Pa.) drove in Corriss for the first run of the game on a sacrifice fly.
Marist expanded its lead to three runs with a pair of run-scoring singles in the bottom of the third as Koltz and Klemmer collected RBIs.
In the bottom of the fifth, the explosive Red Fox offense was at it again as the team plated two more runs to move the score to 5-0. The runs were scored courtesy of a two-run home run by Alyssa Zahka.
After five scoreless innings spun by Lalli in the circle, the Peahens were finally able to get on scoreboard with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth.
With the game tightened up at 5-2, Osterhaus was summoned from the bullpen to close out Saint Peter's for the final four outs. The junior collected all three outs in the seventh via strike outs.
For the game, Marist's 1-2-3 hitters: Corriss, Megan Lamoureux (Woonsocket, R.I.) and Koltz all finished with two hits each. In the circle, Lalli earned her eighth win of 2011 with a 5.2 innings of two-run ball.
GAME 2, MARIST 6 - SAINT PETER'S 3: The Peahens flipped the script on the Red Foxes in Game Two, as the visitors jumped out to an early 2-0 first inning lead on two-run Nicole Olmedo home run.
Unfazed, Marist quickly fought back and would answer in the bottom of the frame with a single run as Koltz launched her seventh home run of the season.
In the next inning, the Red Foxes would take the lead at 3-2 on the strength of a two-run home run by Klemmer. The sophomore took the first pitch she saw from Saint Peter's starting pitching Erica Colon and deposited beyond the right field wall.
With momentum on the offensive end, Marist would score in its third consecutive inning. In the bottom of the third, DiVirgilio would drive in the fourth run of the game with a double down the right field line to score Corriss. The streaking offense would carry over to the fourth inning, as well, as Carmody led off the frame with a home run to center field.
The Peahens carved a run off of the lead with a single run in the top of the fifth.
With a 6-3 lead, Marist's starting pitching Melanie White would set Saint Peter's down in order in each of the final two innings to earn her fourth win of 2012. For the game, she struck out five Peahens and allowed just two earned runs in seven innings.
Offensively, Corriss (3-4) and DiVirgilio (2-3) led seven Red Foxes, who collected base hits. Both of DiVirgilio's hits were doubles, giving her 40 for her career.
For the doubleheader, the Red Foxes hit .370 (20-54) and had a .397 on-base percentage. Their three pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts in 14 innings pitched and had a combined 2.00 ERA.
Marist will be back in action tomorrow as they travel to Rider for a MAAC doubleheader. The first pitch of Game One is slated for 1 p.m.
