Oneonta, N.Y. – The SUNY Oneonta softball team dropped two games of a doubleheader this afternoon to visiting Alfred University. The Red Dragons fell in game 1, 12-8 and then lost the second game 5-4.
 
Oneonta (8-24) had the lead in both games after the bottom of the fifth inning, but was unable to maintain it. After falling behind in game 1 in the first inning, Oneonta answered back with a run of their own. Junior Tricia Kendziera doubled to left field and moved to third on a ground out by Brianna Rivera. Kendziera would score on a passed ball to tie the game at 1 apiece.
 
Alfred (19-13) would score two in the third to take a 3-1 lead.
 
The Red Dragons responded with four runs in the bottom half of the inning. Kendziera got aboard via a walk and Jamie Whittam moved her to second with a bunt. Rivera singled through the right side and Nicole Marzillo loaded the bases with the second walk of the inning. Freshman Cassandra Kohler stepped to the plate and hit a bomb over the left field fence for a grand slam to give Oneonta a 5-3 lead.
 
The lead was short lived as the Saxons tied the game once again at 5-5. Alfred would take the lead 8-5 in the fifth before Oneonta scored three runs of their own to tie the score at 8-8.
 
Rivera started the inning off with a double to right center and scored on a Kohler single. Kohler would move to second on the throw home. After a Deso single. Kohler scored on a throwing error by the second baseman. Nicole Brieva hit Deso home with a double to left field.
 
Two runs in both the top of the sixth and seventh would secure the victory for Alfred.
 
Kohler, Kendziera and Deso each had two hits in game 1.
 
In game 2, Oneonta took the lead after the first inning, 2-1. Junior Chandler Campbell got on the base path with a single to left center. Two fielding errors allowed Rivera and Deso to reach base and plate the two runs.
 
Alfred would tie the game at 2-2 before Oneonta took a 4-2 lead after the fifth. Gemma Mahoney started the inning off after being hit by the pitch and moved to second on a Kendziera bunt. Kohler singled to right center, scoring Mahoney. After a Rivera single moved Kohler to third, Deso would hit her home with a single of her own.
 
Alfred would not go quietly as they entered their last at-bats down 2. Two walks put runners in scoring position. Nicole Maher singled through the left side to score one run. With two outs and runners at first and second, Samijo Scheer doubled to left center to give the Saxons a 5-4 lead.
 
Jessica O'Sullivan earned her 10^th win of the season for Alfred allowing seven hits and striking out four batters.
 
Oneonta is in action again this Saturday for their final home game of the season when they host SUNYAC rival New Paltz in a doubleheader starting at 12:00 p.m.