ONEONTA, N.Y. -- The Oneonta softball team took both games against Morrisville in a rainy SUNYAC twin bill, Saturday afternoon for their final home doubleheader of the season at Red Dragon Softball Stadium. The Red Dragons mercy ruled the Mustangs in five innings for a 10-1 win in game one, then they came from behind and scored three runs in the seventh inning of game two for a 4-3 victory. Oneonta improved to 17-15 this season, 10-4 in the SUNYAC, while Morrisville dropped to 8-16 overall and 2-10 in conference play. The pair of wins clinched a spot for Oneonta in the SUNYAC tournament which starts on Thursday, May 8.
Sophomore
Emily Brown (Westbury, N.Y./Clarke) finished the day 3-for-7 with three RBI, including the game-winning RBI in game two, and sophomore
Ava Thys (Fairfax, Va./James W. Robinson Secondary (Va.)) ended the day 2-for-6 with the team-high four RBI. Junior
Jaime Cardello (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Walter Panas) went 3-for-6 with an RBI, senior
Julia Serena (White Plains, N.Y./Valhalla) was 3-for-7 with an RBI, and senior
Sophia Mangone (Ardsley, N.Y./Ardsley) finished game one 3-for-3 with two RBI.
Game One: Oneonta 10, Morrisville 1 (5 innings)
Mangone led off the scoring in game one with a two-run single to left field in the first inning. Oneonta extended their lead to five in the third inning after freshman
Sophia Camacho (Newburgh, N.Y./Our Lady of Lourdes) scored on a throwing error, and Brown drilled a double to left center that brought in Serena and Cardello.
The Red Dragons added two more runs in the fourth inning to go up 7-0. Thys hit a sacrifice fly then Camacho stole third base and scored on a throwing error by the catcher.
Morrisville scored their lone run in the top of the fifth off a two-out single, then Oneonta forced the mercy rule with three runs in the bottom half of the inning. Mangone started the inning with a double to right field and scored on a wild pitch. After the Red Dragons loaded the bases with a couple walks and a hit by pitch, Thys ended the game with a two-run single to left center.
Mangone led the team with three hits and two RBI, while Thys was 1-for-3 with three RBI. Brown went 1-for-3 with two RBI and Serena scored twice as she finished 2-for-3.
Freshman
Tanner Smith (White Plains, N.Y./Vahalla) (7-3) earned the win after pitching a complete game with four strikeouts and only allowed one unearned run on three hits.
Game Two: Oneonta 4, Morrisville 3
Serena got the Red Dragons on the board first in game two with an RBI double to right field, however the Mustangs took the lead with two runs in the second. Morrisville tied the game when Lindsey Fish singled to center, and Kaylie Kendrick scored on a throwing error. Fish later crossed home on a sacrifice fly to take the lead. The Mustangs added a run to their lead in the fourth inning when Kendrick scored on a wild pitch.
Down to the final three outs, Oneonta rallied for three runs in the seventh inning for the 4-3 victory. Freshman
Kayla Kean (Ballston Lake, N.Y./Shenendehowa) led off the inning with a double to right center, then freshman
Riley McDonnell (Melville, N.Y./Walt Whitman) pinch ran for Kean. McDonnell scored when freshman
Anna Spicciatie (Oakdale, N.Y.) hit the ball towards the Mustangs shortstop who committed a throwing error and allowed Spicciatie to advance to second. Spicciatie crossed home and tied the game when Thys punched a single into right field. Following a double down the left field line from Cardello, Brown smacked a hard-hit ball to the shortstop for the game-winning walk-off single that scored Thys.
Brown finished game two 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Thys and Serena each recorded a hit and an RBI. Cardello went 2-for-4.
Senior
Angelina Scalere (Ardsley, N.Y./Ardsley) (1-2) picked up the win after she pitched the final 3.0 innings, struck out six and allowed only two hits. Brown pitched the first 4.0 innings, struck out five, and allowed three runs, two earned, on two hits.
Throughout the day, the Oneonta softball team recognized and celebrated the careers of their four seniors and team manager. The five Red Dragons recognized were
Cadence Brennan (Niskayuna, N.Y./Niskayuna),
Sophia Mangone (Ardsley, N.Y./Ardsley),
Angelina Scalere (Ardsley, N.Y./Ardsley),
Julia Serena (White Plains, N.Y./Valhalla), and three-year team manager
Maria Vorvolakos.
The Red Dragons next SUNYAC twin bill is on the road on Friday, May 2, against Buffalo State starting at 3 pm.
