Nicole Middleton of the St. John Fisher College softball team became just the fourth player in NCAA Division III history to hit two home runs in the same inning today.
Middleton, a junior third baseman, hit a solo home run to lead off the second inning of Fisher’s 12-3 win over host Alfred University on Saturday, and hit her first career grand slam later in the frame.
Middleton, the first player since 2001 to accomplish this feat, finished the five-inning game 3-for-3 with five RBIs and two runs scored. In the first game of the doubleheader, a 6-0 win for the Cardinals (17-9 overall, 8-2 Empire 8), Middleton drove in three runs.
“Nicole has been hitting the ball as well as anyone can,” says head coach Len Maiorani, now in his 20th season as a collegiate head coach. “Even when she makes an out, she’s crushing the ball.”
In the opener, pitcher
Jessica Maurer had a perfect game broken up with one out in the seventh inning. Maurer allowed just one hit and struck out seven to earn the win.
In the second game, freshman
Sarah Gates hit a lead-off homer in the first inning and finished 2-for-3, while classmate
Meghan Graves knocked in three runs. Pitcher
Amanda Shevchuk gave up eight hits over five innings to earn the win.
