The SUNY Oneonta softball team opened its 2017 season today in Clermont, Fla. with a pair of morning games.  The Red Dragons dropped their opener to No. 17 Moravian 4-3 before bouncing back in a big way against Concordia Chicago shutting them out 11-0 in five innings.
 
Moravian 4, Oneonta 3
After a scoreless first inning of play, Oneonta posted the game's first run in the top of the second inning on an RBI single by senior Jennifer Brocco (Kingston/Kingston).  She drove in classmate Katie O'Gorman (Clifton Park/Shenendehowa) who was hit by a pitch to start the inning before stealing second base to mover herself into scoring position.
 
Moravian answered in the home half of the inning scoring three runs two of which were plated on a two-out double by senior Julia Siragusa.
 
Both pitchers settled in during the middle innings allowing no runs in the third, fourth or fifth innings.
 
The Red Dragons rallied in the top of the sixth to tie the game at three apiece.  Oneonta took advantage of a pair of miscues that allowed both runs to score.
 
Sophomore Lauren Sabatino (Bayville/Locust Valley) and O'Gorman started the inning with back-to-back singles.  Oneonta loaded the bases on a fielding error by the third baseman and then another error by the second baseman on the next at-bat by Dana Del Genio (New Hartford/New Hartford) allowed pinch-runner Killeen Martin (Bay Shore/Bay Shore) to score from third base.  Brocco drove in the tying run on a fielder's choice.
 
The winning run for Moravian was scored in the bottom of the seventh on a fielding error with the bases loaded.
 
Senior Amanda Graziano (Riverhead/Riverhead) went the distance for Oneonta allowing four hits, two earned runs and recording three strikeouts.
 
Oneonta 11, Concordia-Chicago 0 (5 innings)
Oneonta jumped all over Concordia early scoring eight runs in the first two innings en route to the mercy-rule victory.  The Red Dragons pounded out 10 hits including two each by O'Gorman and rookie Brooke Corbett (Bethlehem/Bethlehem Central/Delmar).
 
Sabatino recorded the first home run of the season for Oneonta when she led off the fourth inning with a solo shot to center field.
 
Sabatino, senior Marlene Cuevas (Wappingers Falls/Roy C. Ketcham) and newcomer Lauren Jencarelli each had two runs batted in for the Red Dragons.
 
Senior Sabrina DeAngelis (East Meadow/Kellenberg Memorial) picked up her first win of the season throwing four innings allowing two hits and striking out three batters.