The softball team began their season by participating in the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and now have a record of 7-5.
They won their first game of the season by a score of 9-3 against Eureka College on Sunday, March 15.
Third-year pitcher Katie Rutcofsky earned the win as she pitched four innings only allowing three hits and one run. Fourth-year first baseman and pitcher Erika Traina recorded a save in the game as she pitched the final three innings, allowing just two runs off of two hits. Traina also knocked in a pair of runs on the offensive side.
Fourth-year co-Captain Meg Brewer also contributed offensively for the Hawks. Brewer went 2-for-4 and recorded two runs batted in (RBIs) during the game. Hawks third-year co-Captain Jordan Fiore led the team with three RBIs.
The Hawks continued their offensive success later that day as they defeated Keystone College by a score of 12-3.
Brewer was the star on offense again, as she went 4-for-5 with two doubles and four RBIs. She was chosen as the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Softball Player of the Week for her performance in the first two games of the season.
“Being selected as SUNYAC Player of the Week was a big accomplishment for me because I felt that I did a good job helping my team,” she said. “As a senior, I want to be a player and teammate that younger teammates respect and look up to. I was happy that I was helping my team by bringing in runs and helping us win.”
Hawks third-year outfielder Fallon Spriggs also came up huge offensively. Spriggs went 2-for-4 including one home run and brought in four runs. Second-year co-Captain Kiersten Carlomagno got the win for the Hawks as she pitched four innings and surrendered just one run while striking out five batters. Second-year pitcher Taylor Corwin pitched the last three innings, and earned the save.
The Hawks most impressive wins over the week came against York College. In two games against the Cardinals, the Hawks outscored them 35-0. The Cardinals’ offense could not manage to get a hit in either game.
In the first game, both the offense and pitching shined as the Hawks won by a score of 24-0 on Thursday, March 19.
Rutcofsky threw three innings without allowing a hit to the Cardinals and Brewer threw two more no-hit innings before the game was called due to the mercy rule. Each pitcher struck out five batters in the shortened game.
The offense was led by Hawks first-year outfielder Julia Perhacs who went 4-for-4 with a team-high three doubles and five RBIs. First-year shortstop Samantha Colca also contributed, going 3-for-5 with a team-high seven RBIs.
The next day, Friday, March 20, the Hawks defeated York College again by a score of 11-0.
Brewer earned the win as she pitched three innings without allowing a hit and struck out six of the 10 batters she faced. First-year first baseman and pitcher Lauren Cappello threw the final two innings of the game and didn’t allow a hit as she struck out three batters over two innings.
Second-year catcher and third baseman Megan Carbia led the offense, as she hit two doubles and recorded a team-high five RBIs. Colca also contributed, going 2-for-2, a double and a triple, and knocking in two runs.
Head Coach Brittany Robinson credits the team’s depth and offense for the strong start they are off to this season.
“I believe that our depth along with strong experienced players has been a large contributor to our early successes,” she said. “We have a lot of potential on offense and I believe that that will only get stronger as we move forward and the depth will allow that.”
On Wednesday, March 25, the Hawks dropped both games of a doubleheader against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in final scores of 13-5 and 5-1. In the second game, Spriggs recorded a home run.
After conference game cancellations against SUNY Cortland and SUNY Oswego, the Hawks’ non-conference
doubleheader against Manhattanville College slated for Tuesday, March 31 is cancelled as well. The Hawks are next scheduled to take on The Sage Colleges in a doubleheader on Wednesday, April 1 in Troy beginning at 3:30 p.m. Coach Robinson has high hopes for her team this season in the SUNYAC conference.
“This year we are really looking to make a push to the top of the conference,” she said. “We have been to the playoffs the last two years, and I really feel that this year could be the year we break through. It is a long, tough season, but I truly feel that we have a great mix of depth and experience to carry us to a SUNYAC Championship.”