NEW PALTZ, NY – The State University of New York at New Paltz softball team improved their record to 23-13 on Friday afternoon with 4-3 and 9-1 wins over Oswego State from Mary Gray Deane Field. With the two losses, the Lakers dropped to 8-19. 
 
In game number one, two early inning rallies by the Hawks offense was enough to hold off a competitive Oswego State team, who nearly overcame a 4-0 deficit in the seventh inning before ultimately falling short. Game two was a much more convincing victory for the home squad as evidenced by the eight-run margin.
 
"Today was a great day for us," said SUNY New Paltz head coach Krysti Maronski. "The girls did a great job of bouncing back from a few offensive slumps and got in the box with aggressive swings, which is what we have been asking of them."
 
The Hawks' first flurry of aggressive swings in game one happened with two outs in the bottom of the first when Katie Quagliana started things off with a single to left field, and Jillian Shelbourne hit a single of her own into center field to advance Quagliana to third. After Shelbourne stole second base to put two runners in scoring position, Madison Maggs drove in her 18th and 19th runs of the season with a triple into center field as the Hawks went up 2-0 after one inning of play. 
 
The team added two more runs in the second inning to widen the gap to 4-0 when Rhionna Biachini scored on a throwing error and Jessica Graepel hit an RBI triple that brought Jackie Rometo around to score. 
 
Meanwhile, Roman was great on the mound through five innings, allowing just one hit while striking out five in just the first two innings. The sophomore also retired the Lakers in order in each of the ensuing three, striking out Maria Lutz and Samantha Morgan to end the fifth. 
 
Roman, going the distance for the seventh time this year, looked to quell any chance for an Oswego State comeback in the seventh inning with her team up 4-0. The visitors, though, had other plans and did not go quietly. 
 
Following a Taylor Dubois ground out, Zoe Mennig and Fiona Higgins both singled off Roman. On the next play, an error from Rometo allowed Mennig to score. Ellie Mahoney, next up at the plate, grounded to short but brought in Adriana Marini who was pinch running for Higgins, making the count 4-2. Morgan followed that up with a double into center field, scoring Hoeflich.
 
Clinging to a one-run lead and needing to put an end to the Laker momentum, Roman came up clutch, getting Brianna Lomonaco to fly out to right field to preserve the 4-3 SUNY New Paltz victory. 
 
In game number two, Jillian Harrison pitched a great five innings and was backed by a tremendous offensive output in the 9-1 blowout victory. 
 
Harrison, who improved her record to 7-3 with the win, made quick work of Oswego State in the first inning, retiring the side in order on just six pitches. On the other side, the Hawks wasted no time getting going. After Rometo was hit by Higgins, she stole second base to immediately get into scoring position, and two batters later Shelbourne, who was a perfect 3-for-3 with two RBI, drove her in with an RBI single into left. 
 
The Lakers scored in the second inning when Mahoney brought around Mennig with a single into right field, but the three hits allowed and seven batters faced in the frame was the most Harrison would concede all day. 
 
Rometo and Sydney Bonewit both scored in the second inning on throwing errors, giving SUNY New Paltz a 3-1 advantage after two innings. Then, it was Harrison herself who added to the lead in the third, hitting a sharp RBI double into right field, scoring Shelbourne, making the count 4-1. 
 
After Harrison got Mahoney to ground into a double play and Morgan to fly out to end the fourth, the Hawks increased their lead to five in their next time to the plate. 
 
Bonewit singled off Higgins to start the inning off, and Rometo promptly hit an RBI double to put SUNY New Paltz up 5-1. Shelbourne, later in the inning, singled into left field, and Rometo crossed home plate, giving the home team a 6-1 lead. 
 
Harrison continued to roll in the next inning, getting Lomonaco, Tai Smith, and Dubois to ground out, with the only base runner of the inning being allowed on an error. Sydney Waldon entered the game in the sixth inning and got Mennig to pop up, Higgins to ground out, and struck out Mahoney looking. 
 
Three more runs for good measure were added in the bottom of the sixth by the Hawks to put the game away after Rometo, who was 3-for-3 with an RBI and four runs in the game, started the inning off with a single into center field and later scored on a throwing error. Julia Mastrup and Biachini hit RBI singles in succession to give the Hawks the eight-run margin of victory for the 9-1 final. 
 
"Defensively, all the pitchers did an excellent job on the mound and we made the plays behind them," said Maronski of a staff that was spearheaded by Roman and Harrison. "It was also good for us to get experience of working out of a few tight situations in the field." 
 
Next up for SUNY New Paltz is a Senior Day doubleheader against SUNY Cortland. Maronski is succinct about what she is looking for from her group on such a big day. 
 
"We're looking forward to coming out tomorrow with the same mindset and focus," she said.
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