Box Score (Game 1)
Box Score (Game 2)

CORTLAND, N.Y. – After regaining offensive prowess over the weekend, the State University of New York at New Paltz softball team (11-11, 3-5 SUNYAC) struggled against No. 20 SUNY Cortland (19-3, 8-0 SUNYAC) on Tuesday afternoon at Dragon Field, losing by scores of 10-2 and 12-1 in a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) doubleheader. Both games lasted five innings.

The Red Dragons showed significant power during the twinbill, as they slugged six home runs across both contests. Cortland fared well on contact, too, compiling 23 hits on the afternoon.

In game one, Donnalyn Cross put the Red Dragons on the board in the first with a solo home run, and Tara Donnino pushed the score to 2-0 in favor of Cortland with an RBI single to right in the second.

Senior center fielder/pitcher Jillian Gallagher's (Buchanan, N.Y.) speed led to New Paltz's first run of the day, as she scored from second on a double play in the top of the third to make it a 2-1 game. The Red Dragons answered with a pair of runs in the third and widened the gap with a three-run fourth. An error by the Cortland first baseman allowed junior catcher Jenna Curcio (Conklin, N.Y.) to cross in the fifth, but the Red Dragons tacked on three more in the home half of the inning, with Cross' RBI single serving as the walk-off hit that pushed the Cortland lead to eight.

In game one, senior pitcher Courtney Costello (Bayport, N.Y.) was tagged with the loss in the circle for the Hawks, working three innings and surrendering four runs on seven hits. She also struck out one. Gallagher and freshman left fielder/pitcher Emily Collazo (East Meadow, N.Y.) combined for 1 1/3 frames of relief, yielding six runs—five of which were earned—off six hits. Cortland's Lyndsay Rowell tossed a complete game to pick up the victory for the Red Dragons, going five innings and permitting two runs—one of which was earned—on four hits while striking out two and issuing a walk.

Offensively, four Hawks combined for four hits, while Lorraine Stoddard and Donnino paced Cortland. Stoddard batted 3-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI, while Donnino went 2-for-2 with one run scored and two RBI.

Just one inning proved to be the difference in the nightcap, as Cortland broke a 1-1 tie in the second inning by exploding for 11 runs off four errors and six hits, homering three times. Both teams were scoreless down the stretch, and the Red Dragons completed the sweep.

Sophomore pitcher Gillian Davidoff (Oceanside, N.Y.) was handed the loss in game two, lasting one inning and accounting for four runs off four hits while striking out one. Collazo was unable to record an out against the three batters she faced in the second, surrendering three runs off two hits. Gallagher then came in and threw the remainder of the game, going three innings. She yielded five runs—none of which were earned—off four hits and four walks and struck out five.

Cortland's Abby Martin captured the win, giving up one run off two hits and a walk while striking out five in three innings of duty. Morgan Kuhn held serve, walking just two batters and fanning three in two innings of relief work.

Gallagher and junior designated player/third baseman Samantha Barra (Islip, N.Y.) each had a hit for New Paltz, while Donnino was the only Red Dragon to have more than one hit, going 2-for-3 with one run scored and two RBI.

The Hawks hope to level their conference mark on Saturday, April 16, traveling to Oneonta, N.Y., to face SUNY Oneonta in a SUNYAC doubleheader. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.