Box Score CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – In what was a homecoming for head coach
Brittany Robinson, the State University of New York at New Paltz softball team competed against Salem College at the University of North Carolina's Anderson Stadium on Tuesday night, but Salem ended up handing New Paltz its first loss of 2015 by coming away with a 3-2 victory.
Robinson returned to the stadium in which she played collegiately, as she competed for the Tar Heels from 2008-11 under legendary Carolina head coach Donna Papa.
The game was tightly-contested throughout, with the lead never rising above one run. The two teams finished with seven hits apiece.
Salem pushed across the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth, as sophomore pitcher Lauryn Smith gave the Spirits a 3-2 lead with a one-out RBI single up the middle. Salem was able to retire the side in order in the top of the seventh to come away with the victory.
New Paltz drops to 5-1 overall with the loss and returns to action at the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic tomorrow in Myrtle Beach, S.C., taking on Frostburg State University at 9:30 a.m. Salem rises to 7-5-2 with the win and visits Piedmont College next for a 12 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday, March 21.
Salem opened scoring in the bottom of the first, as freshman catcher Jennifer Vitarelli touched home as a result of an error. Junior left fielder
Fallon Spriggs (Kingston, N.Y./Kingston) evened the score at 1-all in the third, scoring senior catcher
Shayna Burgess (Smithtown, N.Y./Commack) with a base knock to right center.
Smith gave the Spirits the lead once again in the bottom of the fourth, lacing an RBI single to right center to push across freshman right fielder Montana Lineberger. Freshman first baseman
Lauren Cappello (New City, N.Y./Albertus Magnus) made the most of her only at-bat of the night in the top of the sixth, as she tied the score at 2-all with a solo home run to left field. New Paltz was unable to gain the lead, setting the stage for Salem's go-ahead rally in the bottom of the inning.
Freshman right fielder
Julia Perhacs (Robbinsville, N.J./Robbinsville) keyed the Hawk attack by going 2-for-3, while Cappello both scored a run and drove in a run as a result of her solo homer. Smith (2-for-3, two RBI) and Lineberger (2-for-2, two runs scored) were the difference offensively for Salem.
Sophomore pitcher
Kiersten Carlomagno (Commack, N.Y./Commack) drew the start in the circle and did not earn a decision, yielding two runs (one earned) off five hits, two walks and a hit by pitch in four innings of duty. Junior pitcher
Katie Rutcofsky (Plainview, N.Y./Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy) was tagged with the loss, permitting one run off two hits and a walk while striking out two in two frames of work. Smith picked up the win for Salem, scattering seven hits and allowing two runs while striking out two.
Prior to New Paltz's game against Salem, the team watched an NCAA Division I game between North Carolina and UNC-Greensboro, which host North Carolina won, 15-0.
