Game 1 l Game 2 l Updated stats
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Nazareth continued its winning streak with two victories over visiting RIT in a non-conference softball doubleheader on Thursday. The Golden Flyers had dramatic walk-off victories in each game to edge the Tigers by scores of 2-1 and 7-6. In game one, freshman Shannon Dowling scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning. In game two, RIT scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning, but Nazareth rallied with four runs in the bottom half to win. Although the relay throw on sophomore Emily Beckley's sacrifice fly reached home first, freshman Sophia Rhoades slid around the catcher's tag to score the winning run.

With the victories, the Golden Flyers have won four consecutive games in a span of two days. Nazareth improves to 6-18 overall. RIT falls to 7-15 overall after the losses. After beginning the season with a 7-5 record, the Tigers have fallen in 10 straight contests.

Game one featured a pitchers' duel between Nazareth senior Casey Mathers and RIT's Sarah Collmus and Tiffany Gundler. The Golden Flyers scored in the first inning after a lead-off walk by sophomore Kailey Ritch. Consecutive singles by sophomore Sarah Cipperly and Mathers loaded the bases with just one out. Sophomore Shauna Bardanis brought Ritch in to score with a sacrifice fly to center field. The Tigers, however, escaped further damage in the inning by catching Cipperly in a rundown after Ritch scored.

RIT's lone run in game one came in the sixth inning on a lead-off homerun by Brittany Griffin. It was Griffin's third homer of the season. The Tigers continued to threaten in the inning as Shannon McCormick followed Griffin's homer with a double. Nazareth three straight outs to strand the Tigers on the bases.

The Golden Flyers' ninth-inning scoring opportunity began with a walk to Dowling, who advanced to second on a sacrifice by Rhoades. Dowling then advanced to third on a passed ball. Two batters later, Dowling raced home to score on the two-out wild pitch to win the game.

Prior to Dowling's ninth-inning run, the Golden Flyers had chances to take the lead earlier in the game. In the sixth inning, Nazareth had runners on second and third with one out, but RIT ended the threat by catching a line drive and doubling freshman Melissa Reeves off third. Reeves entered the game to run for Mathers after Mathers reached on an error. A double by Bardanis put the Golden Flyers at second and third. Nazareth also had runners on base in the seventh and eighth innings, but the Golden Flyers were unable to push anyone across the plate.

Nazareth's defense and the precise pitching by Mathers prevented the Tigers from threatening after the sixth inning. RIT managed just one hit in the final three innings.

Mathers finished with nine strikeouts in game one. Mathers allowed the Tigers' offense just five hits and one walk. RIT's Sarah Collmus and Tiffany Gundler split time on the mound for the Tigers. Collmus had three strikeouts and allowed six hits in four innings. Gundler allowed three hits and the game-winning run in four and two-thirds innings.

In game two, the Tigers held a three-run lead twice, however, the Golden Flyers' offense responded each time. RIT build its first three-run lead following an inning-opening solo homerun by Kelsey McManus. The Tigers continued to threaten as the next three batters reached base with two singles and a walk. With the bases loaded and no outs, senior Kelly Kocher struck out the next RIT batter, but then allowed a walk to push a runner home. Griffin added another single to score Arielle Link for the third RIT run in the inning. The Golden Flyers avoided further damage by collecting consecutive outs on a fly ball to center and a strike out.

The Golden Flyers answered with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Beckley began the inning with a walk, which was followed by a single by Ritch. Two batters later, Cipperly hit a double to center to score Beckley and move Ritch to third. Ritch eventually scored on a single by Mathers to cut Nazareth's deficit to 3-2. RIT maintained its lead by completing a double play to strand the Golden Flyers in scoring position.

In the sixth inning, however, Nazareth scored the equalizer to tie the game 3-3. Sophomore Meg DeMario singled to center to open the inning. When Bardanis tried to advance DeMario with a sacrifice bunt, RIT's Link initially thought the ball was foul then rushed a low throw to first. The error allowed Bardanis to reach and DeMario moved to third. Ritch hit a bloop single to center to drive in DeMario from third.

RIT's Griffin appeared to win game two in the top of the seventh inning when she delivered a one-out, three-run homer to left-center. Freshman Corrin Spallone entered the game on the mound for Nazareth to record the final two outs of the inning.

The Golden Flyers' frantic rally in the bottom of the seventh was ignited by Cipperly reaching on an infield error. Mathers singled to move Cipperly to second. Senior Brittany Patenaude followed with a single to score Cipperly. Nazareth then loaded the bases on an infield single by Rhoades. The Tigers' dodged the initial scoring threat by forcing DeMario into an infield pop-up. Bardanis, however, followed with a two-run single. Rhoades, representing the winning run, advanced to third when the throw went home. The base-running by Rhoades set up Beckley's opportunity to win the game with a sacrifice fly. The relay from the outfield was in time, but Rhoades slid around the tag attempt by McManus after she initially bobbled the ball.

With pitching to two batters in the seventh before Nazareth's rally, Spallone earned the victory. Kocher pitched four perfect innings before RIT's first hits and runs in the fifth inning. Kocher finished with 12 strikeouts. Spallone retired the only two batters she faced and had one strikeout. Collmus took the loss for RIT after taking the mound in the sixth inning and continuing into the seventh. Gundler also saw action in game two as she pitched the fourth and fifth innings for the Tigers.

The Golden Flyers host Utica on Saturday in an Empire 8 doubleheader. The first game is scheduled for 1 p.m.