CAMDEN, NJ. -- The Oneonta softball team opened the 2026 season with a split decision in their doubleheader at Rutgers-Camden, Sunday afternoon. The Red Dragons dropped game one, 8-2, before they bounced back in game two and mercy-ruled the Scarlet Raptors, 11-3, in five innings. Both teams start their respective seasons off 1-1.
Senior
Jaime Cardello (Cortlandt Manor, NY/Walter Panas) led the team in the twin bill and went 4-for-6 with a double and five RBI. Freshman
Ella Kean (Ballston Lake, NY/Shenendehowa) started her freshman season strong and finished the day 4-for-7 with a double and three RBI.
"It was great to finally get outside to play," said Head Coach
Sara Curran-Headley. "We started out a little rough, but it was good to see the ladies bounce back in game two."
In Oneonta's game two victory, the team totaled 19 hits with seven players recording multiple hits. Cardello was 3-for-3 with four RBI, while senior
Abigail Silliman (Rensselaer, N.Y./Columbia) went 2-for-3 with two RBI and E. Kean ended 2-for-4 with two RBI. Sophomore
Kayla Kean (Ballston Lake, N.Y./Shenendehowa) was 3-for-4 and scored twice in the win, and sophomore
Emma Moore (Walden, N.Y./Valley Central) finished 1-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored.
"We had some really bright spots today," Coach Curran-Headley continued. "Looking forward to getting out there again tomorrow."
Game One: Oneonta 2, Rutgers-Camden 8
Oneonta got on the board first in game one in the top of the third. Sophomore
Sophia Camacho (Newburgh, NY/Our Lady of Lourdes) singled to left field and stole second to get into scoring position. E. Kean then stepped up to the plate and recorded her first collegiate hit and RBI with a one-run double to right center.
Rutgers-Camden responded with a pair of two-run singles in the bottom half of the third inning to go up 4-1. The Raptors extended their lead to 6-1 in the fifth after an RBI single and a bases-loaded hit by pitch.
The Red Dragons scored their second run in the sixth inning when Cardello smacked a single towards first base to score K. Kean and set the team up with runners on the corners with no outs. Unfortunately, Rutgers-Camden held off Oneonta from getting any more hits while they added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth for the 8-2 final.
E. Kean finished game one 2-for-3 with an RBI double, and Cardello was 1-for-3 with an RBI.
Sophomore
Tanner Smith (White Plains, N.Y./Vahalla) (0-1) was tagged with the loss after starting the first 2.1 innings and allowing four runs, three earned, on five hits. Junior
Emily Brown (Westbury, NY/Clarke) pitched 1.2 innings, struck out two, and allowed two runs. Sophomore
Bridget Barry (East Patchogue, N.Y.) came in for the final 2.0 innings and surrendered two unearned runs on one hit.
Rutgers-Camden's Sammie Friel (1-0) pitched the complete game and struck out 11 batters while she allowed two runs on eight hits. The Raptors Alana Gannon finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs and Madi Carr went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Game Two: Oneonta 11, Rutgers-Camden 3 (5 Innings)
Oneonta immediately got the bats rolling in the first inning of game two and recorded seven runs to lead things off. Following an infield single from Camacho, E. Kean scored her on an RBI single down the right field line, then she crossed home on a fielder's choice. With two outs, the Red Dragons had Cardello, Silliman, and sophomore Anna Spicciate hit three straight doubles and increase the lead to 6-0. The last run of the rally came when E. Kean singled to right field and brought home Spicciatie.
Rutgers-Camden trimmed some of their deficit with two runs in the bottom of the first inning.
Cardello worked a bases loaded walk to score freshman
Eva Blaney (Huntington Station, NY/Walt Whitman), but the Raptors got the run back in the bottom of the third with a sacrifice fly from Carr to trail 8-3.
After Silliman connected on an RBI single to center field that scored Cardello in the fourth, Oneonta put the game away with two more runs in the fifth. Moore recorded her first hit as a Red Dragon with an RBI double to left center that brought in K. Kean, then Moore touched home when Cardello singled to left field.
Sophomore
Tatum Passonno (Latham, N.Y./Shaker), Brown, and E. Kean all went 2-for-4 in game two, while Camacho ended 2-for-2 with a run scored and a stolen base.
Senior
Anna Torgersen (Chester, NJ/Mendham) (1-0) earned the complete game victory after she pitched 5.0 innings, struck out three, and allowed three runs, one earned, on four hits.
Rutgers-Camden's Anna Milillo (0-1) received the loss after she pitched the first 0.2 innings and allowed seven runs on nine hits, and Natalie D'Angelo pitched 4.0 innings, struck out two, and allowed three runs, two earned, on eight hits. Gannon was 2-for-3 for the Raptors, and Gianna Bauer went 1-for-3 with an RBI.
The Red Dragons are back in action on Monday, March 9, against No. 6 nationally ranked Rowan starting at 1 pm.
