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

NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – Senior center fielder/pitcher Jillian Gallagher (Buchanan, N.Y.) capped off her two-year career with the State University of New York at New Paltz softball team (15-19, 6-12 SUNYAC) as the program's all-time leader in stolen bases and batting average, as she led the Hawks to a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) doubleheader split with SUNY Geneseo (17-17, 8-8 SUNYAC) on Saturday afternoon at Mary Gray Deane Field. The Hawks lost, 3-2, in game one in eight innings before triumphing, 9-6, in game two.

Gallagher went 6-for-8 on the day with four stolen bases, assuring herself as the program's all-time leader in career batting average (.475) and career steals (58). She also matched her single-season steal mark of 29, which she set last year. Kathleen Mahon was the previous career leader in batting average, as she hit .446 from 1984-87. A batter must log 150 at-bats in order to be considered for a spot on the career batting average chart.

Prior to the start of the first game, the Hawks honored their two seniors: Gallagher and pitcher Courtney Costello (Bayport, N.Y.).

After three scoreless innings in game one, Geneseo erupted for two runs in the fourth off three hits. Junior third baseman Samantha Barra (Islip, N.Y.) got one back for the Hawks in the bottom of the inning, and in the home half of the sixth, Gallagher came home on a freshman designated player Chelsea Kull (Manorville, N.Y.) double. Both teams posted zeroes on the scoreboard in the seventh, forcing extra innings.

In the eighth, a Jessica Steubing double to right put a Blue Knight runner in scoring position with one out, and Rebecca Fitzgerald pinch ran for her. After a groundout, Samantha Trapasso pushed across Fitzgerald with an RBI single to right center. Gallagher got a single and stole a base in the bottom of the inning, but the Hawks were unable to plate the equalizer, and Geneseo took game one in extra frames.

Costello got the start in the circle for New Paltz in the front end of the twinbill, going eight full innings and allowing three runs off nine hits. In spite of her strong outing, she was tagged with the loss. Geneseo's Janine Montera got the win, working eight frames and yielding just two runs—one of which was earned—off six hits while striking out five.

Offensively for the Hawks, Gallagher went 2-for-4 with a run scored, while Kull batted 2-for-3 with an RBI. The Blue Knights received multi-hit performances from K.K. Schaus (2-for-4), Steubing (2-for-4) and Trapasso (2-for-4).

In the nightcap, a prolific first inning for both squads led to a defensive and pitching battle throughout most of the rest of the game. Eleven of the tilt's 15 runs came in the opening frame.

Megan Pogemiller knocked in two runs in the first before Trapasso drove in the third run of the inning, giving Geneseo an early 3-0 lead. The Hawks, however, batted around in the home half of the inning, and an error by the Blue Knight center fielder turned what should have been a three-run inning to an eight-run explosion.

Molly Walsh came across for Geneseo in the fourth, while junior first baseman Cassie Barcavage (Cold Spring, N.Y.) followed a Kull double up with an RBI two-bagger of her own in the bottom of the inning to maintain the five-run lead. Elise Porreca drove in a run off a sacrifice fly in the fifth for Geneseo, and the Blue Knights threatened in the top of the seventh with one run off two hits, but a fly out to center field ended the ballgame.

Montera, the game one victor in the circle, was handed the loss in the nightcap after accounting for eight of New Paltz's nine runs. Only three of those were earned, but she lasted just two-thirds of an inning before she was pulled in favor of Katie Gallagher. K. Gallagher was effective, going 5 1/3 innings with one run off nine hits. She also struck out two.

J. Gallagher threw a complete game for the Hawks, going the full seven innings. She scattered seven hits, allowed six runs—five of which were earned—and walked five.

In game two, New Paltz pounded out 15 hits, with most of the offensive production coming from Gallagher and Barcavage. Gallagher went 4-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI, while Barcavage batted 4-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI. Sophomore shortstop Melissa Liotta (Brentwood, N.Y.) also significantly factored into the Hawk offense with a 2-for-4 performance that included a run scored and two RBI. Trapasso led Geneseo by going 4-for-4 with a run scored, an RBI and two doubles.

Saturday's doubleheader marked the season finale for New Paltz. The Hawks found themselves out of playoff contention after a loss to The College at Brockport yesterday, but they showed promise down the stretch, earning splits in each of their last three conference series.