Saints Knock Off Union, 5-4
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Tara FreemanAisha O'Connor '15 had three hits against Union on Saturday.
May 5: The St. Lawrence University softball team knocked off the defending champion Union College in the Liberty League Tournament at RPI's Doris Robison Field Saturday morning. The Saints improved to 20-12 with their first win over the Dutchwomen since the 2002 season.
First-year student Kyle Plimpton earned the win on the mound, while junior Chelsea Cavellier and first-year student Aisha O'Connor both led the Saints offensively with three hits apiece.
The Saints put a run on the board in the first inning as junior Lauren Weisbarth drew a walk and was bunted over. She then scored on a wild pitch and a throwing error. The Dutchwomen answered with a three run first. Lauren Hoffman led off the inning with a double and scored on Alyssa Wolejko's homerun. After a second out, Amanda Blake singled to right and later scored on Nina Cervini's single to make it 3-1.
The Saints took advantage of a Union miscue in the second as sophomore Carolyn Kietlyka reached and later scored on a ground out. St. Lawrence took the lead in the top of the third, when Chesea Hanno walked and later scored on a two out double to right center by O'Connor. Cavellier singled home O'Connor for a 4-3 lead.
Plimpton allowed just one base runner in the third, fourth and fifth frames. In the sixth, Union had runners at second and third with one out, and Plimpton struck out the final two batters of the inning to preserve the one run lead. The Saints the needed insurance in the top of the seventh, as senior Chelsea Hanno singled to lead off the inning, was bunted to second, then after an infield ground out, came home on an O'Connor RBI single to left center for a 5-3 score.
Union looked to rally in the bottom of the seventh when Hoffman singled to right field. After a fly to right, a failed pickoff attempt sent her to second. After Plimpton fanned a batter for the second out, Staats doubled to right center and Hoffman's run made it 5-4. Plimpton got the final batter to fly out to center and the Saints celebrated the 5-4 victory.