Marist Red Foxes Softball Sweep Cornell

POUGHKEEPSIE – The Marist softball team swept a doubleheader against Cornell at Gartland Field on Monday. The Red Foxes’ pitching staff held the Big Red’s bats in check for a majority of the day, winning the first game 4-2, and winning the second game, 3-1. Four Marist pitchers combined to allow just three earned runs, 11 hits, and three walks, while striking out seven in 14 innings.

Junior Gabrielle Kelliher led the Red Foxes offensively, going a combined 2-for-5 with a home run, three runs scored, three RBIs, and a walk. The home run was the fourth of the season for Kelliher.

Here is a closer look at each game:

Game One – Marist 4, Cornell 2

Cornell loaded the bases in the top of the first inning with only one out, but sophomore pitcher Brooke Peterson was able to work out of the jam forcing the next two batters to line out and pop out. The Red Foxes retaliated by loading the bases for themselves in the bottom of the first, but they were able to capitalize as sophomore Casey Page and Kelliher scored the first two runs of the game on wild pitches.

Marist added to its lead in the bottom of the second after senior Janna Korak drove in junior Brittany Colombo on a sacrifice fly. Cornell cut into the lead in the top of the third when Bridgette Rooney hit the first pitch she saw over the left-center field wall for a two-run homer.

A pivotal moment in the game occurred when red-shirt senior Jessica Van Alphen came in to pitch in the top of the fifth with a runner on and two outs. She forced Rooney to fly out to deep center.

The Red Foxes tacked on one more in the bottom of the fifth when Kelliher came into score on a passed ball to make the score 4-2, which would conclude the scoring.

Peterson finished with 71 pitches through 4.2 innings, allowing two runs and striking out two.

Van Alphen threw 2.1 scoreless innings in relief, allowing just two baserunners, and earned her first save of the season.

Game Two – Marist 3, Cornell 1

Marist got off to a quick start in the bottom of the first inning. After singles by junior Miranda Perez senior Rebecca Freeman, Kelliher crushed a 1-0 pitch for a three-run home run, keeping it just fair down the left-field line.

Sophomore pitcher Kallen Leeseberg coasted through the first four innings for the Red Foxes, allowing no runs and just two hits. After a leadoff double by Ivey Wagner in the top of the fifth, Leeseberg retired the next two, but Sarah Murray hit an RBI double to right center, plating the Big Red’s first run of the game. Leeseberg ended the threat by getting Meg Murray to fly out to center field in the next at bat.

Leeseberg finished with 71 pitches, allowing just one run, four hits, and striking out two. Sophomore Megan Beiermeister closed it out for Marist, pitching two scoreless innings in relief. Beiermeister allowed just one hit to earn her second save of the season.

Marist moves to 18-11 on the season with the sweep, and Cornell moves to 6-11 with the losses.

Marist will return to action this weekend, when the Red Foxes host Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheaders against Fairfield on Saturday on Iona on Sunday. First pitch both days is scheduled for noon.