Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

POTSDAM, N.Y. – The State University of New York at New Paltz softball team (10-10, 4-0 SUNYAC) remained undefeated in State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) play on Friday afternoon, sweeping SUNY Potsdam (8-12, 1-5 SUNYAC) in a doubleheader. The Hawks won game one, 8-4, before topping the Bears by a 15-4 final in six innings in the nightcap.

In game one, a triple by junior shortstop Melissa Liotta (Brentwood, N.Y./St. John the Baptist) in the top of the first set the stage for the Hawks' first run, but Potsdam responded with a pair of runs in the home half of the inning with RBI by Ashley Thayer and Jenny Jones. The Bears tacked on one more in the third to take a 3-1 lead and increased the cushion by one in the fourth.

New Paltz ended up generating most of its offense during the late innings, as the Hawks scored three runs in the fifth, one run in the sixth and three runs in the seventh to seal the victory. The Hawks knotted the tally at 4-all in the fifth off a two-run double by sophomore Chelsea Kull (Manorville, N.Y./Eastport South Manor), and Liotta was plated off an RBI single by freshman center fielder Shayna Burgess (Smithtown, N.Y./Commack) in the sixth to give New Paltz the lead. Back-to-back-to-back RBI hits by senior first baseman Cassie Barcavage (Cold Spring, N.Y./Haldane), senior catcher Jenna Curcio (Conklin, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) and Liotta in the seventh spelled out the final score.

Liotta powered the Hawk attack with a 4-for-5 performance at the plate that included three runs scored, two triples and an RBI. Burgess batted 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored to round out the New Paltz batters that had more than one hit. For Potsdam, Sami Brown and Jones led the way offensively, as each went 2-for-4.

Junior pitcher Amber Carozza (Milton, N.Y./Marlboro) gained the win in game one, lasting 5 1/3 innings. She gave up four runs—three of which were earned—off 10 hits while striking out five. Junior pitcher Alyssa Oliva (Fishkill, N.Y./John Jay) was credited with the save, as she permitted just one hit in the final 1 2/3 innings of play. Potsdam's Thayer was tagged with the loss, as she yielded eight earned runs off 12 hits, three walks and two hit-by-pitches while striking out two over seven frames of duty.

New Paltz gained the lead early in the nightcap and never relinquished it, piling up 15 runs on 18 hits. The Hawks scored once in the first, and an RBI single by freshman right fielder Marissa Monaco (Bohemia, N.Y./Connetquot) in the second capped a four-run inning that gave New Paltz a 5-0 edge. Five more runs came across for the Hawks in the fourth before Potsdam reached the scoreboard in the home half of the inning, as it scored three times. Brittany Pawlowski singled in Thayer in the fifth to draw the Bears within six. New Paltz put the game out of reach with a five-run sixth, and the Hawks kept Potsdam scoreless in the bottom of the inning to force the eight-run rule.

Monaco and Kull each ignited the New Paltz attack with a pair of three-hit outings. Monaco batted 3-for-4 with three RBI, while Kull went 3-for-3 with four RBI, two runs scored and a triple. Liotta (2-for-5, two runs scored, two RBI), Burgess (2-for-4, four runs scored, one RBI, one double), senior designated player Samantha Barra (Islip, N.Y./Islip) (2-for-4, three RBI, two doubles, one run scored) and Curcio (2-for-3, two RBI, two runs scored, two doubles) also notched more than one hit for the Hawks. Potsdam received multi-hit performances from Molly McCuin (2-for-3) and Erin Klettke (2-for-2) in the nightcap.

Freshman pitcher Meg Brewer (Bayport, N.Y./Bayport-Blue Point) improved to 3-1 with the win, scattering seven hits and yielding four runs over five innings of work. Oliva tossed a frame of relief and gave up a pair of hits. Megan Johnson shouldered the loss for the Bears, allowing five runs—four of which were earned—off five hits and four walks with two strikeouts. She lasted two innings in the circle before giving way to a pair of relievers.

New Paltz returns to the diamond tomorrow afternoon, as it takes on SUNY Plattsburgh in a noon SUNYAC doubleheader in Plattsburgh, N.Y.