KEUKA, NY– Freshman Morgan Russo led the way for the Nazareth University Softball team with a strong performance at the plate with five hits notching one triple, three doubles, and a single, along with two runs batted in but it was not enough as the Golden Flyers fell twice in extra innings game in Empire 8 action Sunday against Keuka College.
Russo broke the school record for doubles in a single season (16) and tied the record with three doubles in one game. She entered the game tied with Laura Persico with 13 doubles in a season and then rattled off three doubles in her first three plate appearances against the Wolves.
The Golden Flyers (4-28 overall, 2-12 Empire 8) fell in a set of extra-inning conference matchups against the Keuka Wolves (13-18 overall, 6-8 Empire 8) Sunday afternoon.
Keuka attacked first in the bottom frame of the first inning scoring two runs off a walk and a pair of hits to take a quick 2-0 lead in the first game.
In the top of the third inning, Russo led off with the record-breaking double. Fellow freshman Haleigh Suitor drove in Russo with solid contact to third base forcing an error. Later in the inning, freshman Anna Spencer drew a throw to second base from the catcher which allowed Suitor to score.
The score was even at 2-2 after the top of the third.
Junior Madison Chodkowski kicked off the top of the fourth inning with a single to right field followed by a fielding error forced by sophomore Ashely Bell. With runners on the corners, Russo notched her second double of the game scoring both Chodkowski and Bell. Nazareth took the lead 4-2.
The Wolves battled back to take back the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning, scoring three runs. The score was 5-4 going into the seventh inning.
Nazareth produced a rally to take the lead, 6-5. Russo roped a triple to right field to start the inning. Sophomore Maddy Spakoski scored Russo on a squeeze bunt attempt ruled as a fielder's error by the pitcher to make the score 5-5. With two outs, Chodkowski came up big with a single down the left field line to score Spakoski to regain the lead, 6-5.
However, in the bottom of the seventh inning, Keuka forced extra innings, scoring one unearned run with two outs to even the score 6-6.
After two scoreless innings, Keuka scored the winning run on a hit up the middle to score the baserunner from second in the bottom of the ninth inning to secure the 7-6 victory.
The Golden Flyers scattered 10 hits throughout the first game. Russo went 4-for-5 with three doubles and one triple while Chodkowski finished the game going 3-for-5. Spencer, senior Meg Pum, and sophomore Maddie Klein added one hit each.
In the second game of the doubleheader, Keuka took another early lead, scoring one in the first inning after a series of singles.
In the top of the fourth inning, Spakoski advanced home when the catcher threw down to second to catch Suitor stealing. The score was tied 1-1.
Nazareth struck again in the fifth inning with an RBI single to right field from Pum to score Klein to go up 2-1. However, in the bottom frame, Keuka answered with two runs on a two-out single to center field taking a 3-2 lead.
In the top of the seventh inning, Klein led off with a single through the left side. With two outs, Klein scored on a wild pitch from third to tie the game 3-3. However, in the bottom of the eighth inning with runners on first and third, Keuka scored with a hit to left field to walk it off for a 4-3 win.
The Golden Flyers compiled seven hits from six different players in the second game. Spakoski led the way, going 2-for-4.
Nazareth will close out the regular season with a pair of non-conference doubleheaders versus RIT and Fredonia on Tuesday April 30 and Wednesday May 1 at 3pm and 5pm.
