ONEONTA, N.Y. -- The SUNY Oneonta softball team swept Potsdam in their conference doubleheader, 14-10 and 4-3, Thursday afternoon. Graduate student Megan Palmatier (Bainbridge/Bainbridge-Guilford) went 4-for-7 on the day with a home run and four RBI. The home run for Palmatier was her ninth of the season and broke the program record for most home runs hit in a single season. Freshman Abigail Silliman (Rensselear, N.Y./Columbia) started her first collegiate game in game one and went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a stolen base. Sophomore Julia Serena (White Plains/Valhalla) finished the day 6-for-8 with five RBI and hit the walk-off single in game two as the Red Dragons improved to 13-16-1 on the season and 7-5 in the SUNYAC while the Bears moved to 6-24 overall and 2-10 in the conference.  

Game One: Oneonta 14, Potsdam 10
Potsdam broke out to a 6-0 lead in the top of the second, however Oneonta gained four of the runs back in the bottom of the second. The Red Dragons loaded the bases with singles from junior Victoria Hussey (Nesconset/Smithtown East) and Silliman then a walk from senior Adriana Fiori (Newtown, CT/Brookfield); the single from Silliman was her first collegiate hit. Senior Marissa Nagel (Averill Park/Averill Park) brought in Hussey with a sacrifice fly and Fiori came home on a passed ball. Junior Delaney Haley (Levittown/Division Avenue) reached safely off an error that allowed Silliman to score and Haley later crossed home on an infield single from Serena.  

The Bears scored three off a triple from Kaylee Dobransky in the top of the third inning, but the Red Dragons responded with a seven-run rally in the bottom of the inning. Juniors Sara Cartier (Cicero/Cicero-North Syracuse), Hussey, and Gianna Cancelleri (Naples, FL/Washingtonville (NY)) started the run with three straight singles. Silliman then hit an RBI single that scored Cartier. Junior Sarah Paige (Fort Ann, N.Y./Fort Ann Central) laid down a bunt for her to reach first safely and score Hussey. Serena hit a two-run single to left before Palmatier cleared the bases with a two-RBI triple to right field to give Oneonta the lead. Palmatier came home off a wild pitch to give the Red Dragons an 11-9 edge after three innings.  

Oneonta tallied another run in the fourth on a double steal attempt with Silliman and Hussey. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Palmatier hit a two-run blast, that broke the single season record, and gave the Red Dragons a 14-9 lead. The Bears tacked on one in the seventh but could not complete the comeback.

Serena was a perfect 4-for-4 with three RBI and scored twice, while Palmatier was a double away from hitting the cycle, going 3-for-4 with four RBI and two runs scored. Haley, Paige, and Hussey each recorded two hits, Haley scored once, Paige recorded a run and RBI, and Hussey scored three times.  

Junior Marissa Dionisio (Sayville/Sayville) (4-7) received the win after pitching 6.0 innings, striking out two, and allowing nine runs, eight earned, off nine hits. Junior Angelina Scalere (Ardsley/Ardsley) pitched the final inning, struck out one, and allowed one unearned run.  

Anna Brown (1-8) was tagged with the loss after pitching 4.0 innings, striking out one and allowing 12 runs, nine earned, off 16 hits. Chesnie York pitched the final 2.0 innings for the Bears and allowed two runs off three hits.  

Game Two: Oneonta 4, Potsdam 3
After the Bears took the lead in game two with a couple runs in the second inning, the Red Dragons tied it in the third. Paige led off the inning with a walk then stole second before advancing to third on a groundout. With two outs, Haley laid down a bunt that allowed her to reach first and continue running towards second to put two runners in scoring position. Both runners advanced off a passed ball, scoring Paige, and Haley touched home off a single up the middle from Serena to tie the game at two.

Potsdam jumped on an opportunity to take the lead in the sixth. After York reached first on a throwing error, the Bears loaded the bases with no outs. Sophomore Cadence Brennan (Niskayuna/Niskayuna) allowed York to score after a walk, but that was the only runner to cross home plate. Brennan worked her way out of the jam with a foul fly out and an infield grounder before she struck out Lexie Cottrill.  

Down to their last at-bats, Fiori reached on a fielder's choice and eventually made it to second base with two outs. Nagel hit Fiori in with a single to right field to tie the game at three. After Haley laid down another bunt to put two runners on base, Serena hit the walk-off hit with a shot that landed in front of the right center field wall.  

Nagel, Haley, and Serena all recorded two hits in game two, Serena had two RBI, Nagel had one, and Haley scored once.  

Brennan (3-5) earned the win after pitching the complete game, striking out three, and allowing three unearned runs off seven hits.  

Cottrill (2-8) received the loss after pitching the complete game, allowing four runs off nine hits.  Read Full Article