Softball Splits Home Doubleheader With Finger Lakes

The softball team hosted a doubleheader with Finger Lakes CC on Tuesday, winning game 1, 5-4 and losing game 2, 10-5.

A strong day on both sides of the ball from Sarah Espe helped her team to a win in the first game of the day, and kept her team in contention for the second game of the day. 

Espe pitched a complete game in the first leg of the doubleheader, allowing just four runs and striking out eight batters over her 7.0 innings of work. In her first two at-bats of the game, Espe recorded two triples, drove in a run, and scored another. Then she achieved her second RBI of the game on a sacrifice fly in her third at-bat to score Hannah Aton from third and deliver a walk-off win in the bottom of the seventh, 5-4. 

Broome got out to a 4-0 lead after two innings. Finger Lakes scored three in the fifth and then another in the top of the seventh to tie the game before Broome prevailed in dramatic fashion on the Espe sac fly in the bottom of the inning. 

Teresa Cruz was 1-3 with an RBI for the Hornets, while Aton went 2-3 with a triple and two runs scored.

In the second game of the day, Broome was trailing 5-2 in the second inning. Espe took the mound in relief, walked just two batters while striking out seven, and allowed just two earned runs over the final 4.1 innings of the game to keep the Hornets within reach of a comeback.

The contest was tied at 5-5 for a point in the fourth inning before Finger Lakes scored two runs to take a 7-5 lead. The Lakers would add another run in the fifth and then two more in the sixth en route to a 10-5 victory and a split of the doubleheader. 

Espe continued her success at the plate going 1-2 with a double. Makaeyla Ailport chipped in with a triple, a walk, an RBI, and a run scored. Alana Espinoza was 1-3 in game 2 with an RBI, two stolen bases, and a run scored. Kiara Doyle was also 1-3 while Aton went 2-4, stole a base, and scored two runs.

Broome now sits at 3-7 on the season, and the Hornets will be on the road for the next four games. They await a two-game set vs Tompkins Cortland CC on Friday at the Gutchess Lumber Sports Complex in Cortland, and a two-game set at Corning CC on Sunday.

@BroomeAthletics