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

NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – A strong relief performance from senior center fielder/pitcher Jillian Gallagher (Buchanan, N.Y.) in game two of a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) doubleheader between the State University of New York at New Paltz softball team (14-18, 5-11 SUNYAC) and The College at Brockport (20-11, 6-7 SUNYAC) helped the Hawks earn a split with the Golden Eagles on Friday afternoon at Mary Gray Deane Field. Brockport won, 2-0, in game one before New Paltz took the nightcap, 4-3, in eight innings.

It marked the second time this week that the Hawks have salvaged a doubleheader split with an extra-inning victory. New Paltz fell, 8-5, to Union (N.Y.) College in game one of a non-league twinbill on Tuesday before winning, 5-4, in nine innings in the nightcap.

With game two of Friday's doubleheader against Brockport tied at 3-all, two quick outs in the bottom of the eighth put the Hawks in a hole. Freshman right fielder Melissa Kump (Glendale, N.Y.) then singled to center, and freshman center fielder Emily Collazo (East Meadow, N.Y.) reached on a fielding error to keep the inning alive. With runners on first and second, freshman Emily Frawley (White Plains, N.Y.) came in to pinch run for Kump, and Gallagher plated Frawley in the ensuing at-bat, giving New Paltz the thrilling walk-off win.

The back end of the twinbill looked ominous for the Hawks early on, as a Amy Nowak double and a Danielle Sage sacrifice fly gave the Golden Eagles a 2-0 lead. Sage pushed across her second run of the tilt when she brought in Nowak in the third, putting Brockport on top, 3-0.

Gallagher's triple in the home half of the third put a runner in scoring position with no outs, and she was brought in by a junior shortstop Melissa Liotta (Cold Spring, N.Y.) sacrifice fly. Later on in the inning, junior first baseman Cassie Barcavage plated junior third baseman Samantha Barra (Islip, N.Y.) to draw the Hawks within one at 3-2. Two errors in the fourth aided New Paltz in gaining its one run of the frame to knot the tally.

Brockport's game-two effort was marred by miscues, as the Golden Eagles committed six errors on the contest.

In the circle for New Paltz, Gallagher picked up the win in relief, working 5 1/3 innings. She held Brockport scoreless during that span, yielding just two hits and two walks while striking out three. Sophomore pitcher Gillian Davidoff (Oceanside, N.Y.) got the starting nod and gave up three runs off six hits and two walks across 2 2/3 innings of duty. Davidoff also struck out two.

Erin Fleming shouldered the loss for the Golden Eagles in game two, surrendering four runs—two of which were earned—off eight hits, a walk and a wild pitch.

New Paltz received contributions from an array of players on the attack. Gallagher led the way by going 2-for-5 with a run and an RBI, while Liotta drove in two runs. For Brockport, Nowak (2-for-3, one run, one RBI) and Liz Hochman (2-for-4) each had multi-hit outings.

Stephanie Geer powered Brockport to victory in the front end of the doubleheader, as she hurled a complete-game shutout. Geer scattered five hits and walked just one over seven innings of work. In addition, she boasted five strikeouts.

Emily Dumas drove in Courtney Claflin in the first inning of game one, and two back-to-back singles with one out in the fourth set the stage for a Jessica Stahl RBI base knock later on in the frame. The Golden Eagles' aggressive base running was met by strong throws, as the Hawks retired three runners at home.

Senior pitcher Courtney Costello (Bayport, N.Y.) was shouldered with the game-one loss, permitting two runs off 10 hits while striking out one.

On the attack, five different New Paltz players had a hit, while Stahl (2-for-4, one RBI), Nowak (2-for-3) and Hochman (2-for-3) paced the Golden Eagle offense.

New Paltz celebrates Senior Day tomorrow, hosting SUNY Geneseo in its season finale at Mary Gray Deane Field. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.