Radford, Va. - Leah McIntosh hurled a complete-game shutout in the opener and Gina Mason went 3-for-3 with two RBIs in the consolation round to lead the UAlbany softball team to two wins over Siena at the Radford Highlander Classic on Sunday, March 21. The Great Danes defeated the Saints, 6-0, earlier in the day before posting an 11-3 five-inning victory over their crosstown rival to close out the weekend.
     Siena (2-12) scored a run in the top of the first of the consolation game on a Shannon Jones base hit up the middle, but UAlbany quickly recovered and gained control by tallying the game's next seven runs. The Great Danes took the lead in the bottom of the first by scoring twice on a single by Kat Smith and a double by Kylie Apostolina.
     UAlbany tallied one run in the second and another in the third to take a 3-1 lead. Jessica Bergin led off the second inning with a double to right field. After she was sacrificed over to third by Kristine Bill, the junior scored when Andrianna Walraven grounded out to short. Smith singled in Mason in the third to make it a 4-1 game.
     The Great Danes continued to stay hot offensively and padded their lead with three more runs in the fourth. Bergin hit a leadoff triple and scored one play later on a fielding error by the shortstop. Walraven blasted a single to right which was far enough to plate Bill, who had stolen second after reaching on the error. Nicole Kothe then singled in Walraven after she stole third to close out the scoring.
     Siena rallied with two runs in the fifth to close the gap to four, but UAlbany put the game away by scoring four more times in the bottom of the inning. The first two runs came across on a wild pitch and a hit batsman, while Mason's two-run single to left field ended the game with only one out due to the eight-run rule.
     UAlbany's Allie Weiser got the win in the circle and improved to 2-2 this season. She allowed eight hits, three runs and recorded one strikeout and one walk over five frames. Siena's Amanda Filippazzo suffered the loss to drop to 1-7 overall. She gave up 10 hits, 11 runs, including seven earned, in 4.1 innings pitched.
     In the first game of the day, UAlbany pushed across two runs in the bottom of the third to take a 2-0 advantage. With one out and Walraven on first, Kothe laid down a bunt which she beat out for a single. A wild throw by third baseman Lauren Weingert allowed the speedy Walraven to come all the way home for the game's first run. After Kothe took third on a wild pitch, Mason singled home the senior to double the lead.
     The Great Danes, who were batting just .212 as a team through the first 10 games, tacked on four more runs in the fifth to take a 6-0 lead and break the game open. The squad loaded the bases before the first out was recorded, as Walraven doubled, Kothe singled and Mason was hit by a pitch. Walraven came home for the first run in the frame on a groundout to second by Smith. Kristen Borsella, who replaced Filippazzo in the circle to start the inning, continued to struggle with her control by hitting Michelle Connors with a pitch to load the bases again.
     UAlbany continued to find different ways to manufacture runs, as Apostolina reached on another error by Weingert at third and Bergin hit a sacrifice fly. A base hit by Katie Wambold plated Connors for the inning's fourth and final run to give the Great Danes all the insurance they needed.
     UAlbany's McIntosh threw her first shutout of the year to improve her record to 2-1 and lower her earned run average to 1.24 on the season. She recorded seven strikeouts, allowed six hits and did not issue a walk. Siena's Filippazzo took the loss and dropped to 1-6 at the time. She surrendered four hits, two walks, two runs, including one earned, and struck out four batters in four innings of work. The sophomore was relieved by Borsella, who gave up four hits, four runs, including two earned and one walk over the last two frames.
     UAlbany (4-8) will return to action to face crosstown-rival Siena again in its home opener at Albany Field on Wednesday, March 24. The doubleheader is slated to begin at 2:30 p.m.

Paw Prints: Gina Mason was named to the all-tournament team after batting .600 with four RBIs ... She also stole two bases on as many attempts ... UAlbany extended its winning streak against Siena to 11 straight games with the victories.
-agate-
Siena        000     000     0     0     6     3
UAlbany     002     040     x     6     8     1
     Siena: Amanda Filippazzo, Kristen Borsella (5) and Natasha Powlowsky, Jen Duell (5).
     UAlbany: Leah McIntosh and Kat Smith.

Siena         100     02     3     8     3
UAlbany      211     34    11   10    1
(game was called with one out in the fifth due to the eight-run rule)
     Siena: Amanda Filippazzo and Alexis Gonzalez.
     UAlbany: Allie Weiser and Kat Smith, Lindsey Stout (5).

UAlbany 6, Siena 0 (Mar 21, 2010 - Radford Softball Field, Radford, Va.)

The Automated ScoreBook
SIENA vs Albany
Mar 21, 2010 at Radford, Va. (RU Softball Field)

Score by Innings                  R  H  E
-----------------------------------------
SIENA............... 000 000 0 -  0  6  3
Albany.............. 002 040 X -  6  8  1
-----------------------------------------

 UAlbany 11, Siena 3 (5 inn.) (Mar 21, 2010 - Radford Softball Field, Radford, Va.)

2010 UAlbany Softball
Siena vs Albany
Mar 21, 2010 at Radford, Va. (RU Softball Field)

Score by Innings               R  H  E
--------------------------------------
Siena............... 100 02 -  3  8  3
Albany.............. 211 34 - 11 10  1
--------------------------------------