After being run-ruled in the opening game of the 2017 SUNYAC tournament by SUNY Cortland, the SUNY Oneonta softball team bounced back in a big way and pounded New Paltz in the first elimination game of the of the tournament 14-5.  The Oneonta (23-13) bats were relentless collecting 17 hits, led by senior Katie O'Gorman (Clifton Park/Shenendehowa) who was a home run short of hitting for the cycle.
 
O'Gorman entered her last at-bat in the top of the seventh inning needing the final piece and gave it a run with a deep fly ball that was caught in front of the fence.  In the game, she was 4-for-5 with a double, triple, two runs scored and three runs batted in.
 
After New Paltz (18-20) cut Oneonta's lead to 4-2 in the home half of the fourth inning, the Red Dragons exploded for six runs in the top of the fifth to break the game open.
 
Senior Marlene Cuevas (Wappingers Falls/Roy C. Ketcham) started the inning off with a single through the left side. She found herself on third base after a muff throw by the second baseman on the force at second allowed batter Cori McFall (Pleasant Valley/Arlington) to reach second.  Cuevas scored when sophomore Lauren Sabatino (Bayville/Locust Valley) hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield.
 
Freshman Brooke Corbett (Bethlehem/Bethlehem Central/Delmar), junior Rebecca Wentink (Maybrook/Valley Central), O'Gorman and sophomore Dana Del Genio (New Hartford/New Hartford) all doubled in the inning for Oneonta.  Wentink, O'Gorman and Del Genio each drove in a run as did sophomore Selena Ruiz (Westbury/W.T. Clarke) and senior Jennifer Brocco (Kingston/Kingston).
 
The Red Dragons tacked on four more runs in the seventh after a 13-minute rain delay.  The big hit in the inning was a two-out double by Sabatino to bring home both Cuevas and Del Genio.
 
Both Corbett and Del Genio had three hits in the game and Sabatino finished with four RBIs.
 
Senior Sabrina DeAngelis (East Meadow/Kellenberg Memorial) went the distance striking out seven batters to pick up her 11^th win of the season.
 
In today's opener, the rival Red Dragons plated six runs in the second inning and another five runs in the fourth inning to capture the victory.  Oneonta committed three errors in the game that led to seven unearned runs.
 
Oneonta's next game is scheduled for tomorrow at 1pm versus an opponent that won't be determined until after the first two game are played in the morning.