Softball is now 13-18-1 on the year, going 3-7 in their last 10 State University of New York (SUNYAC) games.
They looked to get back to their winning ways when they took the field for the most recent stretch of the season on Friday, April 13 for a doubleheader against SUNYAC rival Oswego State.
Game one remained scoreless until the third when first-year second base and outfielder Katie Conrad singled to right field, scoring fourth-year outfielder Danielle Bruno from second. Oswego would even the score in the top of the fourth on an RBI groundout by third-year third baseman Carly Lawless, but not before the Hawks relinquished the lead in the home half of the fifth.
Conrad came through yet again for the Hawks with a single up the middle, advancing the runners, scoring the go-ahead run. Fourth-year outfielder Taylor Leonette also singled up the middle, scoring two to put the Hawks up by the eventual final score of 4-1.
Fourth-year pitcher and first basema Lauren Cappello went all seven, allowing just one run on eight hits. Conrad led the offense going 2-for-3 with two RBIs.
New Paltz would go on to drop game two to Oswego by a score of 7-1, as well as a pair of games to SUNY Cortland on April 14 by scores of 6-0 and 9-6 respectively.
The Hawks got back in the win column on April 18 with a sweep of their doubleheader against SUNY Brockport.
Conrad led off game one with a triple to right-center and would immediately score on a double to left by Leonette. Fourth-year outfielder Julia Perhacs followed with a single, scoring Leonette from second, giving the Hawks a 2-0 advantage out of the gate.
After Brockport battled back to even the score in the top of the fourth, the Hawks closed out the scoring in the bottom of the fifth.
A double by Perhacs, followed by a single by DiSpigna, placed runners on the corners with one out. After DiSpigna stole second, Cappello came up with a 2-run single. Second-year utility Taylor Fischer then doubled down the right-field line, placing runners on second and third for Trudden who would then drive in the final run on a ground out to the pitcher, securing the 5-2 victory for the Hawks.
Game two saw the Hawks pull out an exciting victory in ten innings.
A SAC bunt by third-year catcher Madison Rappold gave the Hawks a 1-0 advantage in the top of the second.
The Hawks added two more in the fourth before Brockport fought back to even the score at three in the fourth. The score would remain knotted at three until the tenth inning when the Hawks broke through.
After Rappold was placed on second to start the inning, second-year second base/utility Caroline Alicandri singled, advancing to second on an error by Brockport second-year right fielder Casey Danko. Conrad would then walk, loading the bases for Leonette who came up with a clutch 2-run single. DiSpigna followed with a triple to right-center, scoring Leonette and Conrad. The Hawk’s final run came when second-year third baseman and utility Kelsey Trudden was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, giving them an 8-3 lead entering the bottom of the tenth.
Brockport would not back down as they strung hit after hit together, tightening the gap to a score of 8-6 before Cappello sealed the victory for the Hawks.
DiSpigna led the offense going 3-for-5 with 3 RBIs, while Cappello once again pitched every inning, earning the victory for the Hawks over ten innings pitched while striking out six.
“Being on the road has presented some adversity in which we responded to well,” said head coach Samantha Miller. “I think a lot of it comes down to the mindset and not allowing our nerves to get the best of us. We had some tough losses but also some great wins and those two things come together.”
The Hawk’s inconsistency would continue, as they dropped a pair of games to Oneonta on April 21 by scores of 2-1 and 12-2 respectively, before hosting the Geneseo Knights for a doubleheader on April 23.
Game one was a pitcher’s duel as the Hawks fell short by a score of 2-1. Game two saw more of the same, as the Knights blanked the Hawks through ten innings, defeating them 1-0.
The Hawks look to advance to the SUNYAC tournament as they play at Plattsburgh State on April 27 and SUNY Potsdam on April 28.
“It’s up to the last weekend to prove if we are contenders for the SUNYAC tournament,” Miller said.