Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The State University of New York at New Paltz softball team (13-23) suffered a doubleheader sweep at the hands of Union (N.Y.) College (20-14) on Wednesday afternoon in non-conference action at Alexander Field, losing, 4-2, to the Dutchwomen in game one before falling, 8-0, in six innings in the nightcap.

In game one, the Hawks did a good job at keeping Union off the scoreboard, but they were unable to come back after tying the score in the third.

The Dutchwomen struck first in the home half of the second, with Kristin Schmidt driving in two runs off a single to center field. Junior shortstop Melissa Liotta (Brentwood, N.Y./St. John the Baptist) countered in the top of the third, though, plating junior right fielder Andrea Feeney (Ulster Park, N.Y./Kingston) and senior left fielder Kristen Schork (Warwick, N.Y./Warwick Valley) to level the tally at 2-all. Both pitchers hunkered down and did not permit any easy scoring opportunities, but Union wound up scoring twice off outs. Amanda Blake scored Alyson Staats in the third off a ground out, and Lindsay Cohen made it a 4-2 game in the fifth with a sacrifice fly that also pushed across Staats.

Junior pitcher Amber Carozza (Milton, N.Y./Marlboro) suffered the loss in the circle for New Paltz in game one, drawing the start and allowing three runs off six hits over three innings of work. Junior pitcher Alyssa Oliva (Fishkill, N.Y./John Jay) scattered four hits and yielded one unearned run in three frames of relief. For Union, Staats tossed a complete game, permitting two runs—one of which was earned—off five hits and two hit-by-pitches to go along with seven strikeouts. Staats was credited win the win.

Feeney (2-for-4, run scored) and senior designated player Samantha Barra (Islip, N.Y./Islip) (2-for-3) led the Hawk attack, while Staats (3-for-3, two runs scored, triple), Nina Cervini (2-for-3, run scored) and Cohen (2-for-3, two RBI) paced the Dutchwoman offense.

Game two was far more lopsided, as Union used three-run innings in the first and fifth to seal the series sweep.

Staats kept up her offensive tear from the front end of the twinbill, launching a three-run home run in the first. A run came across in the third before Alyssa Wolejko plated the first of three runs in the fifth. Staats had an RBI base knock with the bases loaded in the sixth to hand the Dutchwomen the win in walk-off fashion, as they forced the eight-run rule.

Freshman pitcher Meg Brewer (Bayport, N.Y./Bayport-Blue Point) gave up seven runs of six hits, two hit-by-pitches and a walk over four frames of work, absorbing the loss. Oliva permitted one run off four hits and two walks in one inning of relief. Sarah Logan threw a complete-game, three-hit shutout for the Dutchwomen.

Three Hawks combined for three hits, while Staats keyed Union with a  4-for-4 performance at the dish that included four RBI, two runs scored and a home run.

New Paltz squares off with No. 11 SUNY Cortland next on Friday, April 27, in a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) doubleheader at Mary Gray Deane Field. The first pitch of game one is set for 3 p.m.