Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

CHESTER, N.Y. – The State University of New York at New Paltz softball team played its first games in the Northeast this season on Wednesday afternoon and fell twice to the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute at The Rock Sports Park in a non-conference doubleheader. The Hawks fell, 13-5, in game one before dropping a 5-1 decision in game two.

New Paltz falls to 7-5 overall with the losses and next visits The Sage Colleges on Wednesday, April 1, for a 3:30 p.m. non-conference doubleheader. RPI rises to 6-2 and hosts SUNY Plattsburgh next on Saturday, March 28.

RPI 13, New Paltz 5 (5 inn.)

RPI plated nine runs in the first inning thanks to strong plate discipline, and that lead wound up holding up the rest of the contest, as the Engineers prevailed in a game that saw 10 combined walks and six combined hit by pitches between the two teams.

The Engineers scored all nine of their first-innings runs with two outs, though they picked up just two hits in the frame.

New Paltz countered in the top of the third, however, with a one-out rally. Senior catcher Shayna Burgess doubled in freshman second baseman Jessica Lodato (Commack, N.Y./Commack) for the Hawks' first run of the game before freshman right fielder Julia Perhacs (Robbinsville, N.J./Robbinsville) pushed across freshman center fielder Danielle Bruno (Dix Hills, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills East) with a single to left center. After freshman first baseman Lauren Cappello (New City, N.Y./Albertus Magnus) loaded the bases as a result of a hit by pitch, junior left fielder Fallon Spriggs (Kingston, N.Y./Kingston) drew a walk to make it a 9-3 game. Finally, senior third baseman Meg Brewer (Bayport, N.Y./Bayport-Blue Point) scored Perhacs with a single to the shortstop to round out the team's offensive production in the frame.

RPI wound up plating three runs in the third before Spriggs drew yet another bases-loaded walk in the fourth to pull the Hawks within seven at 12-5. With two outs in the fifth, the Engineers hit a walk-off single that put them at the eight-run threshold.

Burgess keyed the Hawk attack with a 1-for-2 performance that included two runs scored, one double and one RBI. Spriggs drove in a pair of runs off her two bases-loaded walks.

Freshman left fielder Devan Puhl (2-for-3, two RBI, one run scored) and sophomore first baseman Stephanie Caudle (2-for-2, two doubles, one RBI, one run scored) led the way offensively for RPI.

Sophomore pitcher Kiersten Carlomagno (Commack, N.Y./Commack) was tagged with the loss in two-thirds of an inning of work, while sophomore pitcher Taylor Corwin (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh) pitched in relief, surrendering six runs (two earned) off six hits, two walks and two hit by pitches while striking out two. Senior pitcher Kristina Weltzin earned the win for the Engineers, yielding five runs (four earned) off three hits, three walks and three hit by pitches while striking out six.

RPI 5, New Paltz 1

RPI's Caudle twirled a gem in the circle in the nightcap, striking out 18 batters en route to the game-two win.

After two scoreless innings to start play, the Engineers got on the board in the bottom of the third thanks to a two-run homer by junior catcher Taylor Ten Eyck. The Engineers pushed across three unearned runs in the fourth to mount a 5-0 lead, while New Paltz broke up the shutout bid in the sixth after a solo home run by Spriggs.

Spriggs and Brewer each had a hit in the game, while senior center fielder Kathleen Baker went a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs scored for the Engineers.

Senior pitcher Erika Traina (Bay Shore, N.Y./Bay Shore) shouldered the loss, allowing five runs (two earned) off seven hits and a walk while striking out four in 3 2/3 innings of work. Junior pitcher Katie Rutcofsky (Plainview, N.Y./Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy) threw 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief.