March 12, 2015

Marywood:
After a day of rest and relaxation, the SUNY Oneonta softball team took to the field for its fourth day of completion in Florida. The Red and White's first opponent of the day was Marywood University. Led defensively by senior pitcher Rachel Hitt (Boonville/Adirondack Central), the Red Dragons defeated Pacers 9-1 in just five innings. Junior Jamie Whittam (Saugerties/Saugerties), sophomores Marlene Cuevas (Wappingers Falls/Roy C. Ketcham), Katie O'Gorman (Clifton Park/Shenendehowa) and Jenn Brocco and freshman Ashley Lefebvre (Waterford/Waterford-Halfmoon) delivered a pair of hits each for an offense the pounded out 13 total while scoring in each inning.
Whittam was the first Red Dragon to cross the plate. The second baseman bunted her way on in the game's first at-bat, advanced to second on a Meaghan Foster (Walden/Valley Central) single up the middle and to third on a Cuevas single to center before scoring on a sac fly by junior designated player Traci Lichtenstein (Plainview/JFK).

The second inning brought put two more runs on the Red Dragon ledger. Brocco blooped a double to shallow right field to score O'Gorman before Whittam smacked a double to left field to score Brocco.

The Pacers tallied their lone run in the third on a one out single to right. Pinch running for Lichtenstein, sophomore Shelby Cleaveland (Oneonta/Oneonta) responded to the Pacers scoring from first base when senior catcher Brianna Rivera (Pomona/North Rockland) doubled deep to center.

With runners on second and third and nobody out, Whittam drew a walk to force Marywood into a slew of defensive changes including pitching. Lefebvre scored when senior Nichole Paolino (Catskill/Catskill) came off the bench to hit into a fielder's choice.  Cuevas knocked home Whittam with a single up the middle that moved Foster to third. Rivera brought home foster on a sac fly to left.

Oneonta entered the fifth inning leading 7-1. Lefebvre led off the inning with a single to left before swiping second base. Kristyn Neroda (Pearl River/Pearl River) entered the game to draw a walk. After Lefebvre and Neroda each advanced on a wild pitch, senior Nicole Brieva (Kings Park/Kings Park) loaded the bases with a pinch hit walk. Lefebvre scored on a Cori McFall (Pleasant Valley/Arlington) sac fly before Neroda notched the game clinching run on a Lichtenstein fielder's choice.

The Red Dragon offense put the leadoff batter on base in all five innings. Meanwhile, on defense, Hitt surrendered just one run on six hits fanning three and walking a pair to pick up her third win of the season.
 
Moravian:
The Red and White returned to action just minutes later to face the Greyhounds of Moravian. In a tightly contested contest, Moravian scored in the bottom of the second for the game's only run.

Lichtenstein led the Oneonta offense with a 2-3 outing. Rivera gave the Red and White life in the top of the seventh with a two-out double but was unable to score.
Sabrina DeAngleis took the loss, thought she surrendered just the one run on six hits with a pair of strikeouts and no walks.  

The Red and White are back on the diamond tomorrow when they play Wisconsin-Stevens Point and #13 St. Thomas (Minn.) at the National Training Center.