Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

OSWEGO, N.Y. – For the first time this season, the State University of New York at New Paltz softball team (18-13, 9-5 SUNYAC) split a doubleheader against the same team, as the Hawks won game one of a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) twinbill, 10-7, over SUNY Oswego (10-14, 5-7 SUNYAC) before falling by a 9-1 final in six innings in the nightcap.

In game one, New Paltz scattered 17 hits—a season-high-tying total—but surprisingly, none of them went for extra bases. In spite of that fact, the Hawks jumped on the Lakers early, scoring eight runs before Oswego pushed across four in the third. The Lakers never led in the front end of the twinbill.

New Paltz threatened right off the bat in game one, loading the bases with no outs. Sophomore catcher/center fielder Shayna Burgess (Smithtown, N.Y./Commack) was hit by a pitch, sophomore left fielder/designated player Noelle Grande (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Massapequa) singled to the shortstop and senior second baseman Melissa Liotta (Brentwood, N.Y./St. John the Baptist) walked. Sophomore right fielder Marissa Monaco (Bohemia, N.Y./Connetquot) plated Burgess with a single to center field to initiate scoring, but the Lakers recorded two straight outs on fielder's choice groundouts. An infield single by senior designated player/left fielder Andrea Feeney (Ulster Park, N.Y./Kingston) pushed across Monaco, while sophomore third baseman/pitcher Meg Brewer (Bayport, N.Y./Bayport-Blue Point) and junior first baseman Chelsea Kull (Manorville, N.Y./Eastport South Manor) each scored on a two-run single to right field by sophomore shortstop Emily Mouillesseaux (Endicott, N.Y./Union-Endicott).

In the second inning, the Hawks once again loaded the bags with no outs. This time, New Paltz immediately cashed in with multiple runs, as Burgess scored on a wild pitch before Grande came across on a Monaco single. After two consecutive groundouts, Feeney rounded out the scoring for the inning with an RBI single to the pitcher. The advantage swelled to eight in the third, as Liotta drove in Burgess with a sacrifice fly.

Oswego cut the lead in half in the home half of the third, as shortstop Tori Trovato scored Katie Bredin on a fielder's choice before designated player Brooke Radley blasted a three-run home run to center field. The Lakers made it an 8-5 game in the fourth, with Trovato once again bringing in Bredin.

New Paltz scored twice in the fifth, as Monaco singled to left field to plate Burgess before scoring on a wild pitch. The Lakers tried to rally with two outs in the sixth, as center fielder Sammie Schroeter drew a walk with the bases loaded before an error brought in third baseman Dee Apps. The Hawks wound up keeping Oswego's sixth-inning scoring to two, and they held the home team scoreless in the seventh to claim the victory.

Monaco (4-for-5, three RBI, two runs scored) and Feeney (4-for-4, two RBI) keyed the Hawk attack in game one, while Burgess scored four times. Trovato went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI to lead Oswego, while Radley batted 2-for-4 with three RBI and one run scored.

Senior pitcher Amber Carozza (Milton, N.Y./Marlboro) worked 5 2/3 innings and earned the win. She gave up seven runs, five of which were earned, on eight hits, five walks and a hit by pitch while striking out five. Sophomore pitcher Erika Traina (Bay Shore, N.Y./Bay Shore) hurled 1 1/3 frames of scoreless relief and was credited with the save. Oswego's Alexis Nasca was saddled with the game-one loss, permitting seven runs on nine hits, a walk and a hit by pitch while striking out one. She lasted just two innings before Alexandria Connelly took over. Connelly pitched the remaining five frames and gave up three runs on eight hits and a walk.

Oswego forced the eight-run rule in game two, blasting two home runs and amassing 12 hits.

New Paltz scored the first run of the nightcap, as Monaco absorbed a hit by pitch with the bases loaded in the top half of the first. That would be the last of the Hawks' scoring, as just five players reached base for the visitors the remainder of the contest.

The Lakers struck back with two runs in the bottom of the first, as Trovato scored on an error before first baseman Sue Schoff pushed across Radley with a single to center field. Scoring continued for the Lakers in the third, with Apps drawing a bases-loaded walk before Schoff scored Trovato with a single to right field.

After two Laker batters struck out looking to start the bottom of the fourth, Schroeter launched the team's second home run of the day—and first of the second game—over the center-field wall. Oswego's next run came by means of the long ball as well, as Alexandra McKay pitched in with a pinch-hit, two-run home run with two outs in the fifth. Staked to a 7-1 lead, the Lakers finally delivered the knockout punch in the sixth. A Radley single followed by two walks loaded the bags with no outs, and Radley came around to score on a wild pitch. Right fielder Nicole Ouellette drove in the game-ending run during the ensuing at-bat, pushing across Apps.

No Hawk had more than one hit in game two, and for the second straight contest, no New Paltz played registered an extra-base hit. Schoff had a stellar performance offensively for the Lakers, batting 3-for-3 with two RBI. Freshman pitcher Katie Rutcofsky (Plainview, N.Y./Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy) gave up seven runs, five of which were earned, on 10 hits and two walks in 4 2/3 of action while striking out seven. Rutcofsky, who was saddled with the loss, handed the ball off to Brewer. Brewer recorded just one out and was tagged with two earned runs. Oswego's Sarah Thayer was the winning pitcher, yielding just one unearned run while scattering five hits, hitting two batters and walking one.

New Paltz faces an important task tomorrow afternoon, as it continues its push for SUNYAC Tournament qualification with a 12 p.m. doubleheader against SUNY Cortland.