WEST HARTFORD, CT – Siena Softball wrapped non-conference weekend action with a doubleheader against Hartford at Hartford Softball Field in West Hartford, Connecticut Saturday afternoon. The Saints (12-6) dropped a 3-2 decision in game one before taking the final game and the series with a 5-4 decision in game two.

Hartford 3, Siena 2

After starting off the weekend with an 8-0 run rule victory in the weekend opener on Friday, The Saints were challenged by the Hawks early, with the home team getting on the board via a double steal that got a runner home in the first inning. Siena responded with an RBI double from senior Antonia Alba that sent in junior Isabella Pardo to tie things up in the top of the third.

The teams exhibited back-and-forth action throughout the contest, with a Hartford RBI single putting them back ahead in the fourth. Siena knotted the game at two with an RBI single from Emma Petersen to plate junior Mikala Fletcher in the sixth. The offensive chess match set up a walk-off RBI double for the Hawks in the bottom of the seventh.

Hartford's Lauren Card (3-1) allowed just a single earned run and struck out seven in a complete game victory, while redshirt freshman Alissa Eimont (2-2) fanned six in a complete game loss for the Saints. Siena was led offensively by Alba and senior Jocelyn Ulrich with two hits apiece.

Siena 5, Hartford 4

After falling behind early again to start the nightcap, the Green and Gold found a way to rebound in the middle innings. The Saints gave up a solo home run in the first and an RBI single in the third to the same player, but pushed five across in a crooked inning in the fourth. Sophomore Ashley Giampolo pushed across a pair with an RBI single, while an error in right field with the bases loaded allowed three more runs to score.

The Hawks mustered a comeback, with an RBI double in the fifth and a sacrifice hit in the seventh, but Siena escaped with graduate student Ava Fitzmaurice earning her second save of the year in two-thirds of an innings by stranding the bases loaded defensively.

Following two and one-third opening innings from senior Nicole Patille in the circle, redshirt-junior Diana Parker (2-0) struck out four in four subsequent innings to take the win. Senior Angelina Stile went 3-4 and crossed the plate once to lead an eight-hit Siena offensive, while Petersen also logged multiple hits.

Following its first 18 games of the 2023 season away from the Capital Region, Siena is scheduled to take the field at home for the first of 20 scheduled home games on Thursday, March 23 against UAlbany in doubleheader action beginning at 2 PM.