The softball team split a doubleheader in their first pair of State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) games on Monday, April 6.
During the first game of the day, the Hawks fell to SUNY Oneonta in a score of 6-1. First-year outfielder Julia Perhacs hit a solo home run in the top half of the first inning to plate the Hawks’ lone run of the game. She went 2-for-3 on the day and leads the Hawks in runs batted in (RBIs) with 12.
Hawks second-year pitcher Taylor Corwin recorded the loss on the mound, going three innings and allowing seven hits and six runs, five of them earned.
Fourth-year first baseman and pitcher Erika Traina pitched the final three innings, allowing one hit and no runs, while striking out one.
Later in the day, the Hawks defeated the Red Dragons 4-2 in extra innings. First-year first baseman and pitcher Lauren Cappello homered in the top of the first inning to give the Hawks a 1-0 lead. This was Cappello’s second home run of the season. She went 2-for-4 in the game. The Red Dragons tied it up at one in the home half of the inning thanks to an RBI single by second-year shortstop Marlene Cuevas.
In the fourth inning, Hawks third-year outfielder Fallon Spriggs hit her third home run of the season to put the Hawks on top 2-1. Spriggs went 3-for-4 scoring two runs in the game.
Later in the inning, the Red Dragons tied the game at two on a sacrifice fly by first-year outfielder and third baseman Ashley Lefebvre.
The game remained tied and went into the eighth inning. Hawks fourth-year co-Captain Meg Brewer reached base with a single. First-year shortstop Samantha Colca went on to pinch-run for Brewer. Spriggs singled to advance Colca to second base. The next batter, third-year third baseman Nicole DeCosta singled to advance Spriggs to second base and Colca to third. With the bases loaded, Hawks third-year pitcher Katie Rutcofsky was up next and brought home both baserunners on a two-run single.
In the bottom half of the inning, the Hawks closed out the win with two Red Dragons base runners left stranded.
Rutcofsky pitched all eight innings for the Hawks. She allowed two runs, both earned off of eight hits and struck out five.
Head Coach Brittany Robinson said the team knew the series was going to be tough because SUNY Oneonta is one of the top teams in the SUNYAC conference.
“We were really hoping to play our best game and get a win out of the series,” Robinson said. “We put everything together: the pitching, the hitting and we kept the defensive errors to a minimum.”
Cancellations and postponements have been a trending theme this season.
Originally, the Hawks were supposed to take on SUNY Cortland in a conference doubleheader on Tuesday, April 7, but it was postponed to Wednesday, April 22 at 3 p.m. The following day’s non-conference doubleheader against Western Connecticut State University was cancelled as well.
Brewer says the cancellations and change in schedule has been troublesome this season.
“I think it will benefit the younger girls — you have to learn to always be ready to face adversity like a game in the rain or on a field that is muddy or not when you expected,” Brewer said. “It is also really going to help the team make the most of their time management, because it is hard to plan when to do assignments and study when your schedule is constantly changing.”
The Hawks are next scheduled to play six-straight home games beginning with SUNY Potsdam in a conference doubleheader on Friday, April 10 at Mary Gray Deane Field.
Robinson said playing on their home field will be beneficial for the team, where they have played only once this season.
“Getting a chance to finally play on our field, especially for the seniors is going to be a big deal,” she said. “Hopefully we’ll get good crowds out so we can get a lot of home team support. Hopefully the weather will hold out through the weekend so we can get the games in and move along through conference.”
