April 11, 2015
 
The SUNY Oneonta softball team returned to Red Dragon Softball Field in impressive fashion Saturday, as the Red Dragons picked up their first sweep of the season with a pair of five inning games with Potsdam. Between the 9-1 and 14-0 victories, the Red and White celebrated its five seniors: Nichole Paolino (Catskill/Catskill), Nicole Marzillo (Bay Shore/Bay Shore), Rachel Hitt (Boonville/Adirondack Central), Brianna Rivera (Pomona/North Rockland) and Nicole Brieva (Kings Park/Kings Park).
 
Game 1:
 
The Red Dragons jumped on the Bears early. Leadoff hitter Ashley Lefebvre (Waterford/Waterford-Halfmoon) drew a four-pitch walk before Marzillo singled through the left side on the first pitch she saw. Junior Traci Lichtenstein (Plainview/JFK) brought Lefebvre home on a 3-2 single through the right side, the designated player advanced to second on the throw. The next batter, sophomore shortstop Marlene Cuevas (Wappingers Falls/Roy C. Ketcham) sent an RBI single through the right side scoring Lichtenstein.
 
Following a scoreless second frame, Potsdam got one run back, their only run of the day, in the top of the third inning on an RBI double by freshman Jordan Ott.
 
The Oneonta bats came alive in the bottom of the fifth when the Red and White posted seven runs without recording an out. Rivera started the inning with a single to second base. Lichtenstein followed up by crushing the first pitch of the at-bat for a 2-run home run to right center. Cuevas kept the ball rolling with a single to left, then moved to third on a Katie O'Gorman (Clifton Park/Shenendehowa) 2-0 double to right center. Sophomore Jenn Brocco scored Cuevas when she ripped a single that the left field. The hit forced an error on the left fielder that allowed O'Gorman to cross the dish and Brocco to move to second. Junior Jamie Whittam (Saugerties/Saugerties) followed a walk by classmate Meaghan Foster (Walden/Valley Central) with a bunt to load the bases. Lefebvre got a hold of a 2-2 pitch in the next at-bat sending a single to right field that was able to bring home Foster and Brocco. The freshman moved to second on defensive indifference bringing Paolino, in a pinch-hit appearance, to the dish with the clinching run on third and another on second.  The senior took the count to 3-2 before scoring Whittam to win the game.
 
Sabrina DeAngelis (East Meadow/Kellenberg Memorial) picked up her eighth win of the year as she allowed one run on six hits with seven strikeouts and no walks.
 
Game 2:
 
All the damage in the nightcap came in the bottom of a second inning in which Oneonta batted around not once, but twice. Rivera led off with a single to left field. Two batters later, O'Gorman rifled an RBI triple deep to right on the first pitch of the appearance. Brocco plated her classmate when she sent a 2-2 single right up the middle of the Bear defense. Foster advanced Brocco to second on a single to short before Whittam beat the ball to first to load the bases. Just as she did in the same situation in game one, Lefebvre scored two on a single that put Whittam on third. The swift rookie stole second, which allowed Marzillo to plate two more runs with a double to left center. Lichtenstein mimicked Marzillo in her at bat, putting the ball to the same spot to bring home the senior, forcing a pitching change for Potsdam.
 
To start the second time through the order, Rivera was the first to face the new pitcher drawing a walk on four pitches. Cuevas mirrored Rivera's at-bat to load the bases for O'Gorman. The left fielder recorded her second extra base hit of the inning with a two-RBI double to right center.  Brocco loaded the bases again with a walk. Cori McFall (Pleasant Valley/Arlington) was inserted into the lineup, playing right field, with one out and the bases loaded. The rookie made the most of her opportunity with a base clearing triple to right center on a 2-1 pitch. McFall came home three batters later when Paolino reached on an error by the third baseman. Freshman Gabriella Marino (Schenectady/Guilderland) made her first career plat appearance with a single to left that loaded the bases once more. Lefebvre, who walked in her at-bat, scored the 14^th run when Rivera smacked a 3-2 pitch to the shortstop, who couldn't make the routine play.
 
The entire Red Dragon active lineup, minus DeAngelis, took the field in the contest. Sophomore Shelby Cleaveland (Oneonta/Oneonta) saw time in left field, while rookies Karly Ziegler (Levittown/Island Trees) (third base), Emma Romeo (Sag Harbor/Pierson) (catcher) and Brieva (second base) saw time in the infield.
 
Hitt picked up her fifth win of the season throwing three innings of scoreless ball, allowing just a pair of this while punching out a pair and walking one. Freshman Julia Simpson (Sayville/Sayville) tossed two innings in relief, allowing two hits with two strikeouts and a walk.
 
The 14-6 Red Dragons look to keep the bats going tomorrow when the Plattsburgh Cardinals visit for a 12 p.m. SUNYAC contest.