Kathryn Riggs had a big day at the plate for the Kenyon College softball team, hitting two home runs and nearly leading the Ladies to their first win of the season in game two of a doubleheader against Allegheny College on Saturday.
 
Despite holding a 4-2 advantage heading into the sixth, the Ladies (0-14, 0-12 NCAC) could not quite hold on, falling 5-4. Allegheny (4-12, 4-8 NCAC) took a hard-fought game one as well by a score of 9-4.
 
Allegheny started off strong in the first game, plating eight runs in the second inning. The Gators did not have any extra base hits during their rally but ripped eight singles, took two walks, and used shrewd base running to maximize their scoring against Kenyon's pitching. 
 
The Gators struggled to score after the second, however, with a sixth-inning home run by Kyleigh Cason representing their only additional run. Tori Rogers pitched well in the later part of the game for Kenyon, going 4.2 innings while only allowing two runs and striking out two.
 
Offensively the Ladies came alive in the fourth inning. After Emily Pater worked a walk to get on base, cleanup hitter Olivia Hurley hit a bomb to left field to bring the score to 8-2. The next inning, Riggs hit a solo shot to inch the Ladies one run closer. Kenyon scored yet again in the sixth inning after  Pater scampered home on a wild pitch from the Gators.
 
However, the Ladies could not come back from their earlier deficit, falling 9-4 in a game where they were out-hit 14 to four. Allegheny also got a strong pitching performance from Tori Vradenburg, who tossed seven innings of four-run ball, while striking out an ten Ladies batters.
 
It was Kenyon who struck first in game two. Leadoff hitter Clare McMahon started by taking a walk and later advanced to third on a wild pitch before Pater knocked her home with a single. But Allegheny erased the lead in the bottom half of the frame to tie the game at 1-1.
 
The Ladies pulled ahead again in the fourth inning courtesy of Riggs' second homer of the day, a three-run shot to left that scored both Pater and Rogers. On the day Riggs had four RBI and scored two runs. The Gators poked in a run of their own to put them in striking distance in the bottom of the fourth but still trailed 4-2.
 
The sixth inning was when Allegheny pulled ahead. After loading the bases against Rogers, pitching her second game of the day, Kelly Rafferty hit a bases-clearing double for the Gators that put them up 5-4.
 
Kenyon threatened to tie it up in the seventh inning, putting runners on first and second, but it was unable to convert against Vradenburg, who got a sacrifice bunt out and fielder's choice groundout in the seventh.
 
Rogers pitched six full innings in game two, allowing five runs on 11 hits and zero walks while punching out three. Pater, Hurley, Riggs, and Kassie Rimel all tied for the Ladies' team lead in hits with two apiece between the two games. Pater paced the team in runs scored with three. 
 
Next up for the Ladies is a Saturday doubleheader against Hiram on the road next weekend.