CLAREMONT, CA — The Pomona-Pitzer Softball team finished the day with 19 hits, but couldn't slow down the Denison Big Red, dropping two games Monday afternoon.

Season Impact: The Sagehens fall to 5-9 overall. Denison improves to 3-1.

Game One: Denison 9, Pomona-Pitzer 4

The Sagehens took the early lead, and Liz Rodarte blasted two home runs, but Pomona-Pitzer couldn't stop Denison's bats falling in the first game of the doubleheader.

Rodarte blasted a solo shot to center field in the bottom of the fifth inning, and followed it up with a two-run shot in the bottom of the seventh. The sophomore is coming off earning SCIAC Athlete of the Week honors after her outstanding pitching performance against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on Saturday. She leads the team with five home runs.

Rodate finished the game 3 for 4 with three hits, three RBI, and three runs scored.

In the bottom of the second after fouling off a few pitches, first baseman Emily Rockhill found her pitch and hit it to center field, sending Rodarte barreling around third and sliding into home for the Sagehens' first lead of the game. 

But the Big Red came back and took the lead in the top of the third, rallying to score six runs in the inning. Denison scored two more runs in the sixth and one in the seventh.

Kristen Hong also had a multi-hit game, finishing with two. Sam Carlson totalled one hit and one RBI

Alondra Reynoso pitched four and two-thirds innings of relief. Rodarte got the start in the circle, taking the loss. 

Game Two: Denison 8, Pomona-Pitzer 6

The Sagehens went up 4-0 in the third inning, but the Big Red rode a five-run seventh inning to pull-off the comeback. 

Liz Rodarte got Pomona-Pitzer up early when she singled to right field, bringing in Kelsey Buchanan. Izzy Deatherage followed it up with a single to right of her own that scored Kristen Hong. An RBI by Emily Rockhill and another by Bianca Cockrell gave the Sagehens a 4-1 lead at the end of the inning.

Trailing 8-4 in the bottom of the seventh, Cockrell doubled to left field to score Rodarte to bring the deficit to three runs. Sam Carlson then singled to right field score Deatherage, but the Sagehens would get no closer. 

Rockhill got the start in the circle, pitching six and two-thirds innings finishing with five strikeouts

Next Game: The Sagehens continue non-conference play with a doubleheader against Berry on Wednesday beginning at noon.