Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – In its final two home games of the 2013 season on Wednesday afternoon, the State University of New York at New Paltz softball team (18-17) dropped a pair of one-run decisions to Union (N.Y.) College (13-20) at Mary Gray Deane Field, falling by a 6-5 final in 12 innings in game one before losing game two, 4-3.

New Paltz left 19 runners on base in the front end of the twinbill, and despite outhitting Union 11-6, the Hawks were unable to plate the winning run in the extra frames.

The entirety of Union's non-extra-inning scoring came in the first inning. Third baseman/pitcher Allyson Staats singled up the middle and advanced to second on an illegal pitch to lead off the inning, while catcher Aimee Palleschi singled to left center during the ensuing at-bat before advancing to second on a throw. Pitcher/third baseman Alyssa Wolejko singled through the right side to plate Staats, and Wolejko stole second to put runners back at second and third. Left fielder Joanna Chalifoux pushed across Palleschi made it a 2-0 game with an RBI single to right field, and Wolejko came around to score on an illegal pitch to round out the frame's scoring.

New Paltz got one back in the home half of the first, as sophomore right fielder Marissa Monaco (Bohemia, N.Y./Connetquot) singled through the right side to plate sophomore catcher/designated player Shayna Burgess (Smithtown, N.Y./Commack). Junior first baseman Chelsea Kull (Manorville, N.Y./Eastport South Manor) put runners on first and second with two outs, but the Dutchwomen recorded a strikeout to quell the Hawk threat.

After a scoreless second and third, the Hawks drew within one in the fourth, with Burgess singling up the middle to push across sophomore shortstop Emily Mouillesseaux (Endicott, N.Y./Union-Endicott). Monaco was the beneficiary of a defensive miscue in the fifth, as she rounded third and headed for home after the right fielder mishandled a single by senior designated player/center fielder Andrea Feeney (Ulster Park, N.Y./Kingston). Neither team was able to score in the sixth and seventh, forcing extra innings.

With the international tiebreaker rule in effect—which places the last batter out from the previous inning on second base—both squads added to their run total in the eighth. Center fielder Dani Hennel was placed on second to lead off the top of the eighth, and she moved over to third on a groundout before coming home on a sacrifice fly. In the home portion of the eighth, Mouillesseaux scored on a double steal, and that locked the score at 4-all.

Union proved effective at moving runners over once again in the ninth, as Wolejko, who was placed at second, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a ground out. New Paltz found itself in an early hole in the bottom of the ninth, as it took two outs to get senior second baseman Melissa Liotta (Brentwood, N.Y./St. John the Baptist), who was placed at second, over to third base. Sophomore third baseman/pitcher Meg Brewer (Bayport, N.Y./Bayport-Blue Point) singled down the left-field line to drive in Liotta, and that squared the score at 5-all.

New Paltz retired the side in order in the top of the 10th, and the Dutchwomen answered, keeping the Hawks off the board in the bottom of the frame. New Paltz once again recorded three straight outs in the away half of the 11th, and its chances at scoring the game-winner were diminished in the bottom of the inning after Union forced the Hawks to line into a double play to lead off the stanza. New Paltz put two runners on base during the next two at-bats, both of which came on board due to errors, but the Dutchwomen forced a groundout to end the inning.

In the 12th, Union made it a 6-5 game after Chalifoux, who was placed on second, came home on a fielder's choice. The Dutchwomen loaded the bases off two errors, but the Hawks avoided the large deficit by inducing an inning-ending fly out. Union forced two strikeouts during New Paltz's first two at-bats in the bottom of the frame, and a ground out to the pitcher gave the Dutchwomen game one.

Burgess had the Hawks' top outing offensively in the front end of the twinbill, going 3-for-5 with three stolen bases, a run scored and an RBI. Wolejko paced the Union bats by going 2-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI.

Senior pitcher Amber Carozza (Milton, N.Y./Marlboro) was saddled with the loss, giving up six runs, three of which were earned, on six hits and a walk while striking out three. Wolejko tossed the first five innings for Union and proved effective, yielding three runs, two of which were earned, on six hits, four walks and a hit by pitch while striking out seven. Staats earned the win by hurling the final seven frames. Staats gave up two unearned runs and scattered five hits while striking out four.

Game two proved equally as dramatic, as New Paltz crawled out of a 4-0 hole and put the tying run on second base with no outs in the seventh.

Union scored twice in the first thanks to a fielding error, as Palleschi and Stats each crossed the plate. After three-and-a-half innings of scoreless play, the Dutchwomen added to their total in the fifth, with Palleschi successfully executing a squeeze play before coming around to score on a Chalifoux double.

The Hawks made a run in the sixth, as Kull and Brewer walked and singled, respectively, to lead off the inning. On Brewer's single, sophomore pinch runner Alex Verso (Commack, N.Y./Commack) moved over to third, while Brewer advanced to second on the throw. Feeney put New Paltz on the board with an RBI ground out, while Mouillesseaux doubled to right field to drive in Brewer. Union then registered the second out, but Burgess drew the Hawks within one with an RBI double down the left-field line.

New Paltz set itself up for the opportunity to tie the game in the seventh, as it retired the Dutchwoman side in order. Liotta breathed life into the Hawks' cause in the bottom of the inning, leading off with a double to left center. The game-tying run ended up being stranded at second, as Union completed the sweep by notching three straight outs.

Burgess (2-for-4, one double, one RBI) and Liotta (2-for-3, one double) keyed the Hawk attack in game two, while Wolejko went 2-for-4 for Union. Notably, Chalifoux drove in two runs.

Brewer suffered the loss for New Paltz, permitting four runs, three of which were earned, on five hits, a walk and a hit by pitch while striking out two. Freshman pitcher Katie Rutcofsky (Plainview, N.Y./Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy) threw 2 1/3 innings of hitless and scoreless relief. Sarah Logan earned the win in the circle for the Dutchwomen, yielding three runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out two. Wolejko was credited with the save, scattering two hits and striking out two in 1 2/3 innings of work.

New Paltz closes out its regular season and hopes to lock up a spot in the 2013 State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Tournament on Saturday, April 27, as it visits SUNY Oneonta for a 12 p.m. doubleheader.