Ashley Perritt '14 finished with two hits and four RBI in Game 2 to lead Hamilton College to a sweep over SUNY Cobleskill in a non-conference doubleheader at Hamilton's Ferguson Fields on April 25.
Hamilton (9-20 overall) won the first game 2-1 and took the nightcap 10-1 in five innings. The Continentals have won three straight games.
In Game 1, Kelly Leonard '15 surrendered just two hits and allowed one unearned run in seven innings of work. Leonard walked one batter and struck out six, and tied the team's single-season strikeout record with 110.
Talia Mercado '15 doubled and scored a run to pace the Continentals' offense. Cara Vennari '12 executed a squeeze bunt to drive in the game-tying run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Monique St. Jarre '15 smacked a double and Melissa Kaknis '13 singled and scored a run. Jenn Rougeux '14 and Leonard finished with two hits apiece, and Ellie Kiernan '15 added an RBI single.
Noelle Gushlaw '12 doubled for the Fighting Tigers, and Ashlyn Siers '13 had the other hit. Julia Lull '15 scored a run after she reached on an error to lead off the second inning. Brianne Gray '15 was credited with an RBI. Gray started in the circle and allowed two runs in seven innings. Gray walked one batter and struck out one.
Cobleskill (13-21) took the lead with an unearned run in the top of the second inning. Lull reached on a fly ball that was dropped and advanced to second to lead off. She moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a fielder's choice off the bat of Gray.
Hamilton went ahead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Kaknis led off with a single to center and Mercado followed with a double to right center that moved Kaknis to third. Vennari's squeeze bunt brought home Kaknis with the tying run, and one batter later, Kiernan's single to center plated Mercado.
The Fighting Tigers had the tying run on second base in the top of the seventh inning. The runner attempted to advance on the throw after a groundout to third base, but the first baseman St. Jarre fired back to third to cut down the runner and end the game.
The Continentals pounded out 12 hits in Game 2. Perritt smacked her third triple and Chelsea Merritt '14 finished with two hits, including her first double. Rougeux and Vennari each singled twice and drove in a pair of runs. Sam Miller '14 had two hits, and Miller, Vennari, Kiernan and Kristin Schwam '13 scored two runs apiece.
Amy Appel '13 started in the circle, scattered four hits and allowed one earned run over five innings. Appel did not issue a walk and struck out one batter. The Continentals set a new single-season mark with 137 strikeouts.
Siers tripled and scored the run for the Fighting Tigers. Tomi-Lee Springer '13 cracked a double and Kelsey Dezalia '14 finished with two hits and drove in a run. Gray started in the circle and suffered the loss.
Hamilton jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Miller singled up the middle to lead off and one batter later, Merritt lined a double down the right field line. Vennari followed with a single that brought home Miller. After Schwam reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases, Kiernan singled to center to score Merritt. Perritt and Rougeux capped the inning with back-to-back singles that plated Schwam and Kiernan.
The Continentals added six more runs in the bottom of the third inning. Miller, Kaknis, Merritt and Vennari hit consecutive singles to lead off. A fielder's choice allowed Schwam to reach safely, Kiernan singled to center and Perritt capped the inning with a bases-clearing triple to center.
Cobleskill got a run back in the top of the fourth inning. With one out, Siers laced a triple to right field and scored on Dezalia's single through the left side.
Hamilton hosts Williams College for a NESCAC West Division game on Friday, April 27, at 5 p.m. Hamilton will donate funds to the National Foundation for Cancer Research from that game as part of a national yearlong campaign entitled "Beat Cancer with a Bat."
