Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

NEW PALTZ, N.Y. --  The State University of New York at New Paltz softball team stayed in the thick of a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) playoff picture, by splitting its Friday doubleheader against the visiting Blue Devils of Fredonia. The Hawks lost the first game, 5-3, before posting an impressive 10-1 victory in the second game.

The two games were offensively different for the Hawks, who had only six hits in the first game, but exploded for 13 hits in the second game, en route to earning the victory in five innings. 

The victory improves New Paltz to 10-20, 7-9 SUNYAC. Fredonia drops to 9-15, 6-9 SUNYAC. The Hawks host Buffalo State on Saturday in a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m. Fredonia travels to SUNY Oneonta for a 12 p.m. doubleheader.

First Game 
The Hawks and Blue Devils were in a close game going into the top of the fourth inning, when Fredonia scored the go-ahead run on a fielder's choice to the shortstop. The following inning the Blue Devils tacked on another two runs on a single by sophomore Kim Lotocki. The Hawks answered in the bottom of the fifth inning with RBI singles from sophomore Katie Rutcofsky and junior Noelle Grande. In the top of the seventh the Blue Devils added an additional two insurance runs on a single to center field. The Hawks tried to rally in the bottom of the ninth, but could only come up with one run, an RBI single by Grande.

Rutcofsky suffered the loss, throwing 6.2 innings and allowing 8 hits and 5 runs. She drops to 5-9 on the season. Kelsey Gannet earned the win for the Blue Devils, throwing a complete game, allowing 6 hits, 3 runs and striking out 7.

Grande and junior Meg Brewer led the Hawks offense, both batting 2-for-4. Grande added to RBI and Rutcofsky added one. For the Blue Devils, Lotocki and junior Cherise Gunnel each batted 1-for-3 with 2 RBI. Junior Kate Nicholson also batted an impressive 3-for-3.

Second Game
Needing to earn a split on the afternoon, the Hawks started out strong in the bottom of the first, scoring four runs in the inning and adding a pair in the second inning to build a comfortable 6-0 lead. Brewer knocked in the first RBI of the game on an error by the first baseman, before senior Chelsea Kull would knock in a two-run RBI to center field. Sophomore Jordan Fiore continued the first inning scoring by knocking Kull home on a single up the middle. More good hitting continued for the Hawks in the bottom of the second inning, with a Grande RBI single and a RBI triple down the right field line by sophomore Nicole DeCosta. Fredonia tried to battle back in the top of the fourth, but could only manage one run. The Hawks scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth, the big blow coming from junior Shayna Burgess, who roped a single to right field that brought home three runs. 

Senior pitcher Amber Carozza earned the win allowing, four hits and only one run. She improves to 4-6 on the season. Fifth-year player Alyssa Brognano suffered the loss, dropping to 2-7 on the season.

Leading the Hawks offensively were Burgess (3-for-3, 2 RBI), Kull (2-for-3, 2 RBI), Fiore (3-for-3, 1 RBI and freshman Kiersten Carlomagno (3-for-3, 1 RBI).