April 19, 2015

Oswego, NY – The SUNY Oneonta softball team wrapped a weekend long road swing Sunday afternoon with a pair of victories over Oswego. The Red and White overpowered the Lakers in a 12-0, five-inning first game, continuing the dominance with a 6-1 victory in the night cap. Freshman Ashley Lefebvre (Waterford/Waterford-Halfmoon) powered offense going 6-7 at the plate on the day.
Game 1:

Lefebvre went right to work as the game's leadoff hitter. The center fielder opened the day with a double to center. Senior Nicole Marzillo (Bay Shore/Bay Shore) wasted no time plating Lefebvre with a 1-1 single. After swiping second base, advancing to third on the play on a throwing error by the catcher. Junior Traci Lichtenstein (Plainview/JFK) plated Marzillo with a double to deep center field. Senior Brianna Rivera (Pomona/North Rockland) walked before sophomore Marlene Cuevas (Wappingers Falls/Roy C. Ketcham) loaded the bases with a single to left to bring up classmate Katie O'Gorman (Clifton Park/Shenendehowa). The left fielder reached on a fielder's choice to short scoring Lichtenstein and moving Rivera to third. O'Gorman stole second before sophomore Jenn Brocco plated Rivera with a sac fly to center.

Junior Jamie Whittam (Saugerties/Saugerties) opened the second frame by reaching on a fielding error by the short stop. Lefebvre followed up with a bunt single to the pitcher. Marzillo registered her second RBI in as many at-bats plating Whittam on a double to right. With Lefebvre now on third, Lichtenstein recorded a sac fly to right field to palte the run. Two batters later, Cuevas drove in Marzillo with a single to right field before moving to second on an O'Gorman single.

Oneonta took a 7-0 lead into the top of the third. The leadoff hitter reached, this time Kristyn Neroda (Pearl River/Pearl River), reached for the second straight inning on an error and the Red Dragons made the defense pay. With one out and Neroda on first, Lefebvre ripped a double to deep center plating the swift base runner. The frosh scored herself courtesy of a Lichtenstein single to right.
The offense kept clicking in the top of the fourth. Rookie Cori McFall (Pleasant Valley/Arlington) entered the game in the bottom of the third as a defensive sub before leading off the fourth. The new left fielder showed her power with a 3-0 shot well over the high fence in left for her first career home run. Later in the inning, senior Nichole Paolino (Catskill/Catskill), who entered at first base in the third, ripped a 3-1 pitch to left for a two-RBI double to finish the damage in the opening contest.

Senior Rachel Hitt (Boonville/Adirondack Central) threw five innings of two-hit ball in the shutout. She fanned five and walked one en route to her seventh victory of the year. She was supported by the offense whose 12 runs came on 16 hits while forcing the Lakers into four errors.

Game 2:

 The bats didn't fall asleep in the night cap. Though the offense was held scoreless in the first inning, it returned to dominance in a four-run second frame. O'Gorman opened the inning with a single to center, advancing to second on a fielding error by the center fielder, then to third on a wild pitch. Brocco followed with a walk, and nabbed second before Neroda loaded the bases with a walk. O'Gorman crossed when Whittam forced the shortstop into an error before being moved to third on a two-RBI double by Lefebvre. Whittam crossed the plate on a groundout by Marzillo.

The Lakers scored their only run of the day on an RBI single to right field, only to be answered immediately by the Red and White. Whittam drew a one out walk then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Lefebvre brought her home with a single to first.

Oneonta didn't stop there, sophomore Shelby Cleaveland (Oneonta/Oneonta) entered as a pinch runner for Rivera in the top of the fifth. Cuevas advanced the runner to second with a single to left, before a wild pitch advanced her pinch runner, Meaghan Foster (Walden/Valley Central), and Cleaveland. The speedy sophomore scored on a fielder's choice by O'Gorman.

Oneonta's half dozen runs came on nine hits, while forcing a trio of Laker mistakes.

Sophomore Sabrina DeAngelis (East Meadow/Kellenberg Memorial) celebrated her birthday with her 12^th win of the year. She surrendered the lone run on six hits with five punch outs and a walk.

Overall:

Lefebvre rounded out her impressive weekend going 6-7 at the plate with three doubles, three RBI and quartet of runs. Whittam crossed the plate three times, while Marzillo and Neroda each scored a pair of runs.  Marzillo and Lichtenstein joined Lefebvre with three RBI each.

Marzillo's extended her streak of reaching base safely to 21.Brocco has reached safely in nine straight.  Lefebvre is riding a seven game hit streak.

Lefebvre finished the week going 12-25 with five doubles, nine RBI and 10 runs scored. In the field, she recorded 10 puts outs with 10 assists.

The 21-9 Red Dragons have a 10-4 SUNYAC record. The Red and White are scheduled to hit the road again on Tuesday when they travel to Union.