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

NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – The State University of New York at New Paltz softball team (9-9, 1-3 SUNYAC) fell twice against No. 15 SUNY Plattsburgh (18-2, 4-0 SUNYAC) on Thursday afternoon in a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) doubleheader at Mary Gray Deane Field. The Hawks were on the losing end of a perfect game in the front end of the twinbill, falling, 8-0, in five innings, before dropping their second contest of the afternoon by a 1-0 final.

Thursday marked the 2011 home opener for the Hawks, as they played 16 games at other sites before finally assuming the hosting role.

Nothing went right for New Paltz in game one, as two errors led to two Cardinal runs in the first inning. The Hawk offense was unable to respond, as Ashley Marshall pounded the strike zone, collecting 10 strikeouts in her perfect-game bid. She retired all 15 batters she faced across five innings of work, earning the win. Plattsburgh would tack on six more runs to secure the victory.

Senior pitcher Courtney Costello (Bayport, N.Y.) was tagged with the loss after surrendering two unearned runs in the front end of the twinbill. She scattered three hits across two innings of work and walked one batter. Sophomore pitcher Gillian Davidoff (Oceanside, N.Y.) lasted 2 2/3 frames, yielding six runs—five of which were earned—off nine hits and two walks while striking out two. Freshman pitcher Emily Collazo (East Meadow, N.Y.) recorded an out against the only batter she faced, working just one-third of an inning.

Kayla Rabideau (2-for-4), Brianna Clarke (2-for-3), Erin Florkiewicz (2-for-3) and Erin Jamieson (2-for-3) each had multi-hit outings for Plattsburgh, which scattered 12 on the contest as a team.

The Cardinals scored the lone run of the game in the top half of the second, as a Katie McNally triple set the table for a Florkiewicz RBI single. On three occasions, Plattsburgh ended an inning leaving two or more runners on base, stranding nine on the nightcap.

After McNally lined into a double play to end the top of the seventh, the Hawks recaptured momentum and headed into the bottom of the inning with significant momentum. Barcavage singled and then advanced to third during the next at-bat when Schork got aboard by means of an error on a sacrifice bunt. With runners on the corners and no outs, New Paltz was unable to produce any further runs, as Plattsburgh took care of the ensuing three batters in order.

Costello was shouldered with the loss again in two innings of duty, dropping to 2-4 on the year. She gave up one run on three hits and one walk, but finished game two with one strikeout. Senior center fielder/pitcher Jillian Gallagher (Buchanan, N.Y.) took over and yielded three hits across five scoreless innings. She issued five walks but wound up with two strikeouts.

Heather Loughran moved to 9-0 on the season in the circle for the Cardinals, scattering three hits and dealing out one walk while striking out six. Marshall entered in relief and permitted two hits across 1 2/3 innings of duty, collecting three strikeouts and receiving the save.

Junior first baseman Cassie Barcavage (Cold Spring, N.Y.) sparked the Hawk attack by going 3-for-3, while freshman shortstop Chelsea Kull (Manorville, N.Y.) went 2-for-3. Six different Cardinals registered a hit.

New Paltz looks to halt a four-game skid on Saturday, April 9, as the Hawks host SUNY Potsdam at 1 p.m. in a SUNYAC doubleheader.