NAPLES, NY – Sophomore Katie Ruoff remained the hottest hitter in the Nazareth College softball lineup as she finished 4-for-7 with two runs batted in including a 3-for-3 game as she led the Golden Flyers to their first win of the season with a 5-2 victory over Martin Luther College from Minnesota.
Nazareth (1-3) fell to Wilmington (OH) by a 9-1 score in the first game of the day as Ruoff had one of the five hits for the Golden Flyers and knocked in the only run of the game.
The run came in the fourth inning when Nazareth looked to rally back from an early deficit after Wilmington (2-1) plated three runners in the top of the first inning.
Senior Marissa Tortora started the fourth with a single down the left field line and fellow senior Madison Joseph followed with a walk to put two runners on base.
With two outs, Ruoff singles through the left side of the infield to score Tortora from second base. Sophomore Gabriella Corasaniti walked to load the bases but Wilmington ended the rally with a strikeout to end the inning.
After the threat in the bottom of the fourth, the Quakers added five runs in the top of the fifth to take a 7-1 lead and tacked on two more in the seventh for the final score.
In the second game of the day, Nazareth broke open a scoreless game in the bottom of the third inning with a two-run rally. A pair of errors put sophomores Mackenzie Kapp and Janelle Walters on base to start the inning and freshman Aubrin Smith used a sacrifice bunt to put both runners into scoring position. Tortora followed with a two-run double to left centerfield to open the scoring.
The Golden Flyers added a run in the fourth as Ruoff singled and later scored on an infield single by Walters to give Nazareth a 3-0 lead.
Martin Luther trimmed the lead in the top of the next inning with two runs as the Knights loaded the bases with the first three batters of the inning before junior Kylie Smith came on to pitch in relief of starter freshman Maddie Funk. Martin Luther scored with a fielder's choice and a double down the line to cut the lead to 3-2.
Nazareth got the runs back in the bottom half of the inning. With two outs, freshman Sarah Simmons doubled to score Joseph and Ruoff followed with a double down the left field line to give the Golden Flyers a 5-2 lead.
Smith finished the game with a pair of 1-2-3 innings to seal the first victory of the year for Nazareth.
The Golden Flyers will play a pair of games Tuesday in Fort Myers as the team will face SUNY Canton at 9 a.m. and then take on Blackburn College with an 11 a.m. game.
