March 14, 2015

Clermont, Fla. - The SUNY Oneonta softball team finished off its spring break trip to Clermont, Fla with a pair of wins Saturday afternoon at Foundation Academy. The Red Dragons outlasted The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) 2-1 before taking down Wesleyan University 4-1.

TCNJ:
The Red and White offense wasted no time getting started. Freshman Ashely Lefebvre was the first base runner of the day after reaching on an error by the catcher after striking out swinging. The rookie moved to second when sophomore Marlene Cuevas (Wappingers Falls/Roy C. Ketcham) was hit by a pitch. Senior Brianna Rivera (Pomona/North Rockland) made her first appearance at the dish with two on and two out and ripped a bases clearing double to deep left center. She then swiped third, but that's as far as she'd go.

Led by senior pitcher Rachel Hitt (Boonville/Adirondack Central) (4-1), the defense took control from there. Hitt threw seven strong innings, allowing a single run on five hits with a walk while punching out a season-high eight batters.

The Red Dragons threatened in the bottom of the fourth. Senior Nichole Paolino (Catskill/Catskill) came to the dish as a pinch hitter with runners on the corners, however sophomore Shelby Cleaveland (Oneonta/Oneonta) was picked off on the first pitch of the at-bat.

TCNJ scored in the top of the sixth, but the Red Dragon defense, which committed no errors, held strong to secure the win.

Wesleyan:
Sabrina DeAngelis (East Meadow/Kellenberg Memorial) took to the circle for the day's second game. The sophomore surrendered a pair of runs on seven hits with one walk and four strike outs.

Wesleyan struck first in the bottom of the second, but that never discouraged the Red Dragons as they responded with a three run fourth. Junior Traci Lichtenstein (Plainview/JFK) put a leadoff single through the left side. Her pinch runner, senior Nicole Brieva (Kings Park/Kings Park), crossed the dish for the first run when Nicole Marzillo (Bay Shore/Bay Shore) knocked a single up the middle. Rivera added a run on an error. Junior Jamie Whittam (Saugerties/Saugerties) came to the dish with the bases loaded and two outs. The second baseman put a single to left field on her first pitch to bring home Marzillo.

That's all the offense the Red Dragons would need. Wesleyan added a run in the bottom of the fifth before Lefebvre scored on a Lichtenstein base knock in the top of the seventh to add an insurance run.

The Red and White finish its trip to Florida at 9-3. Weather permitting, the Red Dragons are slated to play King's College on Thursday in Wilke Barre, Pa.