Griffs tame Broncs and Bobcats on Demske homestand

By Ian Caskie, Sports Reporter

Despite a week of cold rain and snow, Canisius continued their hot streak against MAAC rivals Rider and Quinnipiac. 

Canisius started their ten game homestand with a Tabitha von Kolen leadoff triple, and was hit home by fellow outfielder Ella Johel. The Griffs were able to tie the game when first baseman Emily Ilano hit a double to left, scoring Johel. 

Johel capped off a 3-for-3 day with a two run homer in the sixth, and finished the game knocking in three of the four Canisius runs. Sophomore Olivia Manchester struck out seven Broncs in a complete performance, and picked up her ninth win of the campaign. 

In Game 2, a Rosie Gomez solo dinger in the seventh tied the game 1–1. It took two extra innings, but second baseman Bailey Alatorre came up with the walkoff knock, scoring pinch runner Bella Martin after a throwing error by the Broncs. Toria Kover went the extra distance, striking out five in nine innings of work for her second win of the season. The afternoon wins ensured the Griff’s third series win of the season.

The team dropped the third game of the series on Saturday. Rider stretched to a 4–0 lead by the third, off a series of singles and small-ball sacrifices. Ilano left the yard for a two-run homer in the fourth to put the Griff’s in the race, and would bunt for a fielder’s choice, scoring Natalie Quonce to get the score to 4-3. That would ultimately not be enough, as the Griffs fell in seven innings. 

After a set of off days, the Golden Griffins returned to the field Wednesday morning to defend the den against the Quinnipiac Bobcats. A 10 a.m. start might have put other teams to sleep, but early runs and a home run by Quinnipiac’s Ella McGalliard woke the Griffs up. Facing a 3–0 deficit in the bottom of the 3rd, Canisius put four runs together. A series of fielder’s choices from von Kolen, Johel and Gomez got the Griffs on the board, and an Alatorre RBI hit-by-pitch got the second run in. 

Ilano cleaned up the bases with a two RBI single, scoring Gomez and Ilano. A Johel sacrifice fly in the 4th inning padded the lead, and a home run by Sofia Escoto capped off the early game, with the Griffs winning by a score of 4-6. Manchester picked up her tenth win of the season, striking out four batters in seven innings of work. Manchester’s season ERA now sits at 2.95, which lands at 11th on the conference leaderboard.

The Griffs’ second matchup against their Hamden, Connecticut rivals was just as close. After giving up a run in the first, a base hit by Alatorre tied the game at one. An impressive day by Escoto continued in the third. Her RBI single put the Griffs ahead, Escoto ended the day 3 for 5 with a home run and three RBI. Quinnipiac went ahead again in the 5th, but a Gomez blast to left tied the game 3–3. Canisius and Quinnipiac battled into the 10th, but the oncoming women’s lacrosse team’s game against Fairfield forced the game to be postponed.

The team will continue to defend the Demske against the second place Iona Gaels this weekend, and the St. Peter’s Peacocks the following Tuesday, April 15.

Photo courtesy of Tom Wolf