ONEONTA, N.Y. -- The Oneonta softball team fell in both games of their SUNYAC doubleheader against Cortland, Friday afternoon at the Red Dragon Softball Stadium. Cortland capitalized on a couple Oneonta errors to get game one, 18-7, then they held off Oneonta's seventh inning rally to take game two, 5-3. Oneonta moved to 15-15 on the season, 8-4 in the SUNYAC, and Cortland improved to 15-13 overall and 11-1 in conference play.  

Sophomore Emily Brown (Westbury, N.Y./Clarke) finished the twin bill 3-for-8 with three RBI, while sophomore Ava Thys (Fairfax, Va./James W. Robinson Secondary (Va.)) was 3-for-7 with an RBI. Senior Julia Serena (White Plains, N.Y./Valhalla) and freshman Sophia Camacho (Newburgh, N.Y./Our Lady of Lourdes) both ended the day 3-for-6 with a run scored.

Game One: Oneonta 7, Cortland 18
Oneonta got out to a 3-0 lead after the first inning off an RBI double from Brown and a two-run single by senior Sophia Mangone (Ardsley, N.Y./Ardsley). Cortland recorded five runs in the top of the second off a two-run double, a sacrifice fly, and a couple of fielding errors, then Oneonta tied the game in the bottom half of the inning when Brown lasered a two-out, two-run single that bounced off the shortstop and into the outfield.

Cortland took the lead for good in the top of the third on a groundout. They scored one more in the inning on an infield single, then added two more in the fourth to go up 9-5. The visiting Red Dragons recorded three more for a seven-run lead in the top of the fifth, then Oneonta cut the deficit to 12-7 after junior Abigail Silliman (Rensselaer, N.Y./Columbia) hit an RBI single to left center and Thys hit a sacrifice fly.

Cortland gained one run in the sixth off an Oneonta error, then ended the game with five runs off three singles in the seventh for the 18-7 final.

Brown finished game one 2-for-4 with a double and three RBI and Thys went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Mangone and Silliman each recorded a hit while Mangone had two RBI and Silliman had one.

Senior Cadence Brennan (Niskayuna, N.Y./Niskayuna) (0-3) was tagged with the loss after pitching 1.2 innings, striking out one and allowing four runs on five hits. Freshman Tanner Smith (White Plains, N.Y./Vahalla) started the game, pitched 2.0 innings and allowed six runs, one earned, on seven hits. Junior Anna Torgersen (Chester, NJ/Mendham) pitched 3.1 innings, struck out four and allowed eight runs, five earned, on eight hits.

Game Two: Oneonta 3, Cortland 5
Cortland recorded their first run on an RBI single to left center in the top of the third. They added one run to their lead in the fourth and another two in the fifth to go up four. The visiting team made it a 5-0 lead in the seventh inning on a groundout.

Down to their final three outs, Oneonta sparked a rally and scored three runs to make it 5-3. Freshman Tatum Passonno (Latham, N.Y./Shaker) led the inning off with a single and Silliman worked a walk to get two runners on. Camacho then laid down a bunt and the Cortland third baseman threw the ball towards first, but she hit Camacho in the helmet and the ball bounced towards the outfield. Both Passonno and Silliman scored while Camacho advanced to third. Freshman Kayla Kean (Ballston Lake, N.Y./Shenendehowa) brought in Camacho with a bloop single to right field to make it a two-run game.

Junior Jaime Cardello (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Walter Panas) worked a walk to get the tying run on first with one out, however the game ended on a fly out and a ground out.

Camacho finished game two 2-for-3, while Serena went 2-for-4.

Brown (8-6) took the loss after pitching 6.1 innings, striking out three, and allowing five runs, one earned, on eight hits. Senior Angelina Scalere (Ardsley, N.Y./Ardsley) pitched the final 0.2 innings and allowed one hit.

Oneonta is back in action on Saturday, April 26, for a SUNYAC doubleheader against Morrisville starting at 3 pm. Read Full Article