A Quick Look
The SUNY Oneonta softball team began its final week of the regular season today at Union College for its rescheduled doubleheader.  The Red Dragons came up on the short end of a sweep dropping the first game, 7-1, and falling 11-10 in game 2 in five innings.
 
The Inside Story
Oneonta scored its lone run of game 1 in the top of the third on an RBI single by sophomore Caroline Koch (New City/Clarkstown South) that brought in senior Dana Del Genio (New Hartford/New Hartford).  Del Genio reached after being hit by a pitch after a leadoff single by sophomore Amanda Sexton (Port Jervis/Port Jervis).  Sexton was forced out at third on a fielder's choice, which moved Del Genio into scoring position.
 
The Dutchwomen scored two runs in the third, three in the fourth and two more in the fifth for its final total of seven.  Union (14-16) collected seven hits while committing a pair of errors.
 
The Red Dragons posted a pair of runs in the first to grab an early lead.  Del Genio was hit by a pitch to start the inning and stole second.  Classmate Selena Ruiz (Westbury/W.T. Clarke) then reached first on an error by the pitcher.  The next batter was senior Lauren Sabatino (Bayville/Locust Valley), who hit a ground ball to third base where Del Genio was out.  On the attempt at a double play, the ball got away from the first baseman, which allowed Ruiz to score and Sabatino to get to third base.  Koch hit a single up the middle to drive in Sabatino.
 
Union came back to tie the score in the bottom of the first inning.  A pair of RBI singles led to the two runs for Union.
 
Junior Brooke Corbett (Bethlehem/Bethlehem Central) and Sexton hit back-to-back doubles to start the second inning.  Sexton scored Oneonta's second run of the inning when Del Genio hit a sacrifice fly to center field.
 
The Dutchwomen rallied in the bottom of the second plating four runs to take a 6-4 lead.  The big hit in the inning was a grand slam by K. Puzo.
 
Sexton came through once again in the third inning with a two-run single that drove in junior Bailey Schwark (Port Ewen/Kingston) and freshman Olivia Murray (Clifton Park/Shenendehowa).
 
Union continued to bounce back scoring five runs in the home half of the third to grab an 11-6 lead.
 
Oneonta rallied back in the fourth and fifth innings scoring four runs to get to within a run.  Unfortunately, the game was stopped by rain at the end of the fifth.  In the fourth, Del Genio doubled Jade Meehan (Halcottsville/Roxbury Central) in before scoring herself on a triple by Ruiz.  Ruiz scored on a ground out to second base by Sabatino.
 
Schwark scored the final run for Oneonta on an error by the second baseman after doubling to lead off the inning.  Oneonta did load the bases with two outs, but a fly out by Sabatino ended the threat.
 
Just the Stats
Sabatino and Koch each recorded two hits in game 1.  Ruiz, Koch, Schwark and Sexton all had a pair of hits in the nightcap.  Sexton drove in four runs in game 2 while Del Genio and Sabatino each drove in two runs.
 
What's Next
Oneonta will travel to western New York this weekend to close out the regular season with SUNYAC doubleheaders at Fredonia and Buffalo State.  All three teams are battling for one of the final playoff spots.  Oneonta is currently ahead of both teams with its 8-6 record in the conference.