Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

SALISBURY, Md. – Senior first baseman Chelsea Kull (Manorville, N.Y./Eastport South Manor) extended her hitting streak to six by going 3-for-6 in two games, but the State University of New York at New Paltz softball team lost twice on day one of the Salisbury Tournament Friday at the SU Softball Field. The Hawks fell, 8-3, to Capital University in their first game of the day before dropping a 6-0 decision to No. 3 Salisbury in game two.
 
New Paltz drops to 1-5 overall and meets up with Capital and Salisbury again tomorrow at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., respectively. Capital rises to 7-2, while Salisbury advances to 11-0.
 
Capital 8, New Paltz 3
 
Capital scored the first six runs of the game and was able to withstand three runs by New Paltz in the late innings to come away with the 8-3 victory.
 
The Crusaders scored twice in the first inning, plating a run on an illegal pitch before receiving an RBI double by sophomore shortstop Therese Becker. Capital scored a run in the third, two runs in the fourth and one run in the fifth to swell the lead to six.
 
Kull kick started the Hawks' scoring in the sixth, pushing across junior catcher Shayna Burgess (Smithtown, N.Y./Commack) with an RBI single before scoring off an RBI double by freshman right fielder Kiersten Carlomagno (Commack, N.Y./Commack). Capital plated two more runs in the sixth, gaining an RBI single by junior center fielder Kelsey Swain before junior left fielder LeAnna Cotton drove in a run on a sacrifice fly.
 
New Paltz made a rally in the seventh, as Burgess drove in a run with a one-out double, but Capital threw out senior pitcher/designated player Amber Carozza (Milton, N.Y./Marlboro) at the plate to register the second out. The Crusaders were able to record the final out during the next at-bat to clinch the win.
 
Carozza suffered the loss in the circle for New Paltz, yielding six runs (three earned) off eight hits, a walk and an illegal pitch while striking out one. Junior pitcher Brooke Billings tossed a complete seven innings, permitting three runs off eight hits and one walk while striking out four.
 
Carlomagno keyed the Hawk attack with a 2-for-3 performance, while Burgess batted 1-for-2 with two stolen bases, one RBI, one run scored and a double.
 
For Capital, Swain went 4-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored.

No. 3 Salisbury 6, New Paltz 0
 
Matched up against junior Rachel Johnson, one of the top pitchers in NCAA Division III, New Paltz was unable to generate much offense against the host Sea Gulls in the nightcap, though the Hawks did touch Johnson up for five hits, the most she has given up all season.
 
The Hawks kept Salisbury's scoring at a minimum early. After back-to-back RBI doubles by sophomore shortstop Kim Dorsey and sophomore designated player Paige Knussman in the first, New Paltz kept Salisbury off the scoreboard in the second, third and fourth innings. The Sea Gulls doubled their lead in the top of the seventh, though, as sophomore second baseman Molly Simpson launched a three-run home run over the left-field wall. That advantage would hold through the bottom of the seventh, and Salisbury kept its record unblemished.
 
Johnson scattered five hits and struck out 12 while holding New Paltz scoreless in the shutout win. Sophomore pitcher Katie Rutcofsky (Plainview, N.Y./Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy) threw the full seven innings in the circle for New Paltz, giving up six runs (two earned) off 10 hits and three walks while striking out four in the losing effort.
 
Kull and sophomore shortstop Jordan Fiore (Mount Sinai, N.Y./Mount Sinai) keyed the Hawk attack, as each went 2-for-3. Fiore's first hit of the contest was a double to left field, which marked the first time all season that Johnson has given up an extra-base hit.
 
Senior first baseman Harley Hill batted 3-for-4 to pace the Sea Gulls offensively.