Photo by Corey Maher
BROOKE ATKINS
Social Media Manager
RIT
On what would turn out to be its final weekend, the women’s softball team came out strong and looking better than ever.
The women closed out their last home game of the 2016 season by sweeping Rochester Institute of Technology twice — 6-2 in the first game and 9-8 in the second.
Freshman Jessica Merle began pitching the game but was relieved in the seventh inning allowing her to earn her first collegiate win.
Merle pitched 4 1/3 innings and only letting in 2 runs.
Relieving Merle was sophomore Megan DeGroat who got the last two outs to help the Blue Devils get the win.
Another first for a Blue Devil was senior second baseman Kim Lotocki’s first collegiate home run, which started a five-run inning.
Also contributing for the Blue Devils were sophomore outfielder Lauren Pixley, junior shortstop Khee Nance and freshman third baseman Cassidy Herman who all had two hits.
Pixley singled to center to allow the tying run and one more to score putting Fredonia ahead.
Nance scored twice and stole two bases and sophomore outfielder Nikki Lent knocked in a two-run double. Senior shortstop Alyssa Morgan had two hits and a runner batted in (RBI) along with Lent. Senior second baseman Megan Medina contributed with two hits and three RBIs to lead Fredonia’s offense.
“These girls are my family, that what it is all about,” Medina said.
Brockport
Following two of Fredonia’s biggest games of the weekend, the women split with Brockport.
The Blue Devils took a loss in the first game, 6-2, but in a nail biting second game Fredonia took the win with a score of 10-9.
Brockport led the game with a 7-6 score until Fredonia rallied scoring four runs in the final at-bat.
To start to rally, singles were hit by Herman, senior first baseman Lindsey Forness and freshman Leanne Villani.
A sacrifice fly hit by Nance put Fredonia in the lead 8-7.
Following that, Morgan hit an RBI single and freshman catcher Mallory Mecca put on the final run with a two-out RBI single.
After Brockport answered back with a home run, winning pitcher DeGroat was relieved by freshman Emily Shellenberger.
Producing big for Fredonia, Nance started the game off with a homer, then had a double and a single, which scored two run and had two RBIs.
Morgan helped the Blue Devils out with a double, and two RBIs.
Dennis had a three-run double.
“It is a bittersweet feeling,” senior first baseman Madeline Medina said when asked how it felt that her senior season is over. “My body knew I was done but it was really sad to be done officially.”
Geneseo
In their final games of the season, the Blue Devils lost both to Geneseo with a 1-0 in the first and 7-3 in the second.
The first game was pitched completely by Shellenberger, with only six hits and 16 groundouts.
Fredonia had only one hit which was a bunt single by Lent in the top of the first.
After losing the first game, Fredonia lost its chances of making it into the SUNYAC tournament.
Reflecting on her senior season, Madeline Medina said, “It is sad to never plays with these girls ever again.”
In the second game, the women had 11 hits. Two hits by each Villani, Morgan and Herman.
“When I reflect on the past four years I remember the friendships I have made the most. I have made some of my best friends through this program,” Medina said.
For seniors Forness, Madeline Medina, Megan Medina, Lotocki, Morgan, Aldyn Carlson and Izzy Simon, this game finished out their last season as a Blue Devil.
Just like that, another season is a wrap. Fredonia finished 11-23 overall and 5-13 in SUNYACs.