April 6, 2015

The SUNY Oneonta softball team opened both its home and conference slate Monday with New Paltz on Red Dragon Softball Field. The Red and White used a six-run third inning to capture the first game of the day, however the Hawks outlasted the hosts in a 4-2 eight-inning affair in game two.
 
Game 1:
 
The day's first game was all about the third inning for Oneonta. Junior Jamie Whittam (Saugerties/Saugerties) drew a two-out walk to serve as the frame's first base runner. The swift second baseman swiped second. The next batter, senior catcher Brianna Rivera (Pomona/North Rockland) knocked Whittam in after taking a 3-2 pitch through the left side for a single; Rivera would advance to second on the play. Second year shortstop Marlene Cuevas (Wappingers Falls/Roy C. Ketcham) dug in next; the sophomore drove an 0-1 pitch to left center for an RBI double. Cuevas scored on the next play when junior Traci Lichtenstein (Plainview/JFK) singled up the middle. Sophomore Katie O'Gorman (Clifton Park/Shenendehowa) and senior Nicole Marzillo (Bay Shore/Bay Shore) each knocked RBI doubles to finish off the inning's scoring.
 
Reigning SUNYAC Pitcher of the Year Sabrina DeAngelis (East Meadow/Kellenberg Memorial) threw five innings in the circle to collect the win. The sophomore gave up just one run on a pair of hits while striking out two and walking one. DeAngelis picks up her sixth win of the year. Classmate Jenn Brocco threw the last two innings in relief.
 
Game 2:
 
Brocco got the ball to start the nightcap, giving up a run on three hits in two innings of work.
 
Oneonta answered a first inning home run from the Hawks immediately. Whittam drew a one out walk and moved to second on a Rivera single through the left side before Cuevas brought her home with a single up the middle.
 
Neither team sent more than four batters to the dish until the fourth, but not before each team added a run in the fourth inning. The Hawks tallied on a long ball, only to be answered by an Ashley Lefebvre (Waterford/Waterford-Halfmoon) SAC fly that scored Marzillo.
 
The score remained the same 2-2 until the top of the eighth inning when Hawks pitcher Katie Rutcofsky helped her cause with a two RBI single for the final score of 4-2.
 
Senior Rachel Hitt (Boonville/Adirondack Central) threw 4.1 innings of relief allowing just a single run on five hits wiith a strikeout. DeAngelis returned to the circle for a 1.2 inning relief appearance, suffering the loss, as she was tagged with a pair of runs on four hits with two strikeouts.
 
The Red and White are slated to return to action tomorrow when they travel to Troy, N.Y. for a doubleheader with RPI at 3 p.m.