ROCHESTER, NY - Nazareth softball went 1-1 in its doubleheader against RIT on Thursday evening, dropping the first game 14-10 and winning the second game in a seventh inning comeback on a walk-off squeeze bunt 9-8.

The Golden Flyers' overall record now sits at 4-5, while RIT is now at a record of 4-8.

Nazareth Falls 14-10
In the first game, the Golden Flyers threw the first punch with two runs in the bottom of the first on two hits. In the first inning, Morgan Russo and Caitlyn Knapp were Nazareth's hitters with a double from Russo and a single from Knapp. Russo was also Nazareth's first scorer, while Kaijah Alexander was batted in on a sac fly by Sarah Ferruzza after getting on base on a hit-by-pitch.

RIT was quick to answer with four runs on five hits in the top of the second to make the score 4-2. After a three-up-three-down inning for the Golden Flyers on offense, the Tigers put up another eight runs in the third to earn a comfortable 10 run lead at 12-2.

In the bottom of the fourth, six Golden Flyers made it around the bases to do some damage control, including Ashley Bell, Haleigh Suitor, Madison Chodkowski, Julia Maciag, Sarah Ferruzza, and Hailey Trank who pinch ran for Alexander. In the inning, there were five hits including a single from Chodkowski, a double from Maciag a single from Alexander, a single from Madison Hicks, and a single from Bell. Nazareth's rally brought the game back to a four-run deficit at 12-8.

After a silent fifth inning on both sides, RIT got two more runners around in the top of the sixth to make the score 14-8, where it would stay until the bottom of the seventh.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Golden Flyers tried to rally back, but were stopped short with two runs on two hits to close the game at 14-10. Maciag had a single in the inning and was one of Nazareth's scorers, while Alexander was the other hitter with a double and Russo was the other scorer that came around.

Avery Zembek started in the circle for Nazareth in the first game, earning two strikeouts on 19 batters faced while allowing three earned runs. Alexander went in in the third inning and finished with two strikeouts and no earned runs on 24 batters faced.


Nazareth Squeezes Out a Seventh-Inning Comeback Win 9-8
The second game started out much closer, each team putting up one run in the first. Nazareth's run was Russo, who had hit a double and was moved around the bases by Maciag and Alexander.

After two goose eggs in the second, RIT broke the silence with two more runs in the top of the third, followed by four runs in the top of the fourth to go up 7-1.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Golden Flyers woke the bats back up with a single from Alexander, a double from Suitor, and a home run from Hicks. Alexander led off the inning, reaching first on a single to right center. Knapp then walked to give the Golden Flyers two runners on base. Hicks then knocked one over the fence to score three runs.

Heading into the top of the sixth, the score was still at 7-4, RIT scoring one more in the inning to go up by four.

After holding the Tigers to three batters in the top of the seventh, the Golden Flyers had one last inning to score. Nazareth's first four batters of the inning all had hits. Bell led off with a double, followed by a Russo single that scored Bell. Maciag then had a bunt for a hit that advanced Russo. Alexander then sent a hard shot to second base for a single that scored both Russo and Maciag. With no outs, the Golden Flyers cut the lead down to 8-7 with a runner on second base, as Alexander advanced to second on a throw.

After a pitching change, Knapp walked and Trank, pinch running for Alexander, advanced to third on a wild pitch. Hicks then singled to second base to score Trank and move Knapp to third 8-8. Still with no outs, Ferruzza laid down a beautiful bunt in a squeeze play that scored Knapp uncontested. The Golden Flyers squeezed out the win 9-8.

Hicks was on the rubber for the Golden Flyers in the second game earning a win including four strikeouts and four earned runs on 37 batters faced.

The Golden Flyers will be back in action on March 28 at 2:30 and 4:30 p.m. at home as they host Alfred University in a conference game.