Hamilton College dropped two non-conference games against visiting Rensselaer at Ferguson Fields on April 13.
The Red Hawks (14-4 overall) dominated Game 1 and won 8-0 in six innings. Hamilton (4-17) erased an early 4-1 deficit in the nightcap, but Rensselaer scored a run in the top of the 10th inning and won 5-4.
Rensselaer broke open a close game in the opener with three runs in the fifth inning and four in the sixth. The game was stopped after six innings due to the eight-run mercy rule. Seven errors by the Continentals led to six unearned runs.
Megan Coughlin '09 took the loss for Hamilton in the circle, but allowed just two earned runs in five innings. Coughlin struck out five batters before Mandy Hyne '11 took over to pitch the final inning. Amber O'Connor '09 had a single and her team-high sixth double of the season.
The Red Hawks jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning of the nightcap, but Hamilton knotted the score at 1-1 in the third. O'Connor walked, stole second and scored on a throwing error.
Rensselaer took a 4-1 lead with three more runs in the fourth, but Hamilton responded with two tallies in the bottom of the frame and another in the fifth to tie the score at 4-4.
Cara Vennari '12 knocked a single that glanced off the first baseman and drove in Robin Brown '09 and Rachel Rapoza '10 to close the gap to 4-3.
Liz Reid '11 brought in the game-tying run in the fifth. Reid's single to right field plated O'Connor from third base. Reid's single represented the last hit of the game for Hamilton. Reid boomed her fourth double of the season in the fourth inning and has hit safely in seven straight games.
Coughlin was tough in relief of the starter Hyne. Coughlin allowed just three hits and one unearned run, and fanned three in 6.1 innings. She now has 301 career strikeouts.
Rensselaer scored the game-winning run in the top of the 10th, when a tie-breaker procedure called for a runner at second base to begin the inning. The Red Hawks took advantage of the lone Continental error in the game to take the lead. Hamilton stranded the tying run at third base in the bottom of the frame.
Hamilton hosts St. Lawrence University for another non-conference doubleheader on Wednesday, April 15.
