Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Osceola County, FL — The State University of New York at New Paltz softball team split its final two games of the PFX Spring Games Friday, earning a 5-2 win over Manchester University, while dropping a tight eight-inning contest, 3-2, to Rutgers University-Newark.
 
"Overall I am very happy with how this spring training trip panned out," said Hawks coach Krysti Marnoski. "I think that the team showed that we are a very competitive team and has what it takes to win ball games. This week has also been a great time for the team to really bond and mesh and get to know one another better."
 
Like it has all trip, SUNY New Paltz got great production from its pitching staff. Katie Quagliana and Alyssa Pfitscher both earned a start in the circle and combined to allow just 16 hits in 15 innings pitched. 
 
They, along with sophomore Emily Fox combined to go 7-2 during the trip, while freshman Julia Mastrup also earned some time in the circle in her first collegiate action of her young career.
 
"Pitching wise I think we were able to utilize our staff, and it is great to not have to rely on one person," Maronski said. "We need to continue to work on the mental aspect on the mound, and the team as a whole, to calm themselves down and just play one pitch at a time in pressure situations.
 
Against the Spartans, SUNY New Paltz took advantage of an early mistake to go up 1-0 in the bottom of the third. After Julia DiSpigna earned a walk to get on base to lead off the inning, she moved over to third after a throwing error on the next at-bat put Taylor LaFrance on first safely. Celia Santini then brought DiSpigna home for her ninth run of the season on a sacrifice fly to right field.
 
Manchester took the lead in the following inning thanks to a two RBI double to center by Kendal Torrence, but the Hawks responded with three more runs in the bottom half of the inning to re-gain control.
 
Again SUNY New Paltz capitalized on Spartan miscues, as Meagan Blair got on base to lead off the inning after an error at third. Katie Conrad moved Blair over on a sacrifice bunt and Caroline Alicandri then moved her over once more with a single to center, as she advanced to second on the play. Quagliana helped her own cause, as she recorded an RBI on a fielder's choice to tie the score at two, but it was LaFrance who broke the game open with a two-out RBI single to center, plating Quagliana and Alicandri.  
Quagliana closed out the complete game by giving up just two more hits the rest of the way, as she improved to 5-1 on the year.
 
The Hawks struggled at the plate in the second game against Rutgers-Newark, only recording three hits in the outing, which came from Kelsey Trudden, Conrad and Blair.
 
Despite the struggles offensively, Pfitscher pitched well and was backed up defensively behind her to allow SUNY New Paltz to stay in the game. After the Scarlet Raiders took the lead in the second, Nikki Bowen came in to pinch hit for Alicandri and delivered with an RBI on a fielder's choice to plate Santini and tie the game at one. Alicandri then helped push the Hawks ahead in the sixth, bringing Nina Simms — who pinch ran for Trudden after her one-out single —on a bases loaded walk.
 
"Throughout the whole week we got great production from so many different people, whether it was coming in to pinch run, hit or just play defense," Maronski said. "I was proud of the team for always staying in the game and being prepared."
 
However, Rutgers-Newark came back to tie the game in the seventh and ultimately win it in the eighth by tacking on one more run off an RBI single by Sam Morton.
 
Pfitscher received her first loss of the season after going the full game. She allowed nine hits and just two earned runs with four strikeouts on the day.
 
LaFrance (2-5, 2RBI) led her team offensively in the day's slate of games with the Hawks heading back home riding a solid 9-2 overall record. SUNY New Paltz is set to face Ramapo College Wednesday in its home opener, before heading into conference play Friday and Saturday.
 
"Moving forward we're going to prepare for Ramapo Wednesday and then our opening weekend of SUNYAC next Friday and Saturday," Maronski said. "As long as we stay within ourselves and play our game, we will give ourselves an opportunity to compete and win any game." 

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