CORTLAND, N.Y. -- In the Battle of the Red Dragons, the Oneonta softball team put together a three-run rally in the sixth inning on game one for a 4-3 victory against Cortland to split their SUNYAC doubleheader on the road, Friday afternoon. Cortland came away with game two in sixth innings, 8-0. Freshman
Ella Kean (Ballston Lake, NY/Shenendehowa) lifted Oneonta in game one with the go-ahead two-run home run for her first career homer. The split decision improved Oneonta to 6-20 this season, 4-2 in the SUNYAC, and Cortland to 14-7 overall and 5-1 in conference play.
E. Kean finished the day 2-for-5 along with her two-run blast. Sophomore
Kayla Kean (Ballston Lake, N.Y./Shenendehowa) went 2-for-3 with an RBI double in game one's win, while senior
Anna Torgersen (Chester, NJ/Mendham) pitched 5.0 innings and struck out four batters in the victory.
"Game one was a well-rounded team win," said Interim Head Coach
Catherine Johnson. "Our lineup produced from top to bottom and some great pitching held it down for us on defense!"
Game One: Oneonta 4, Cortland 3
After sophomore
Sophia Camacho (Newburgh, NY/Our Lady of Lourdes) led off game one with a single to left field, Cortland got the force out on her at second off a fielder's choice during junior
Emily Brown's (Westbury, NY/Clarke) at-bat. Next up was K. Kean, and she smacked her sixth double of the season to right center to score Brown for an early 1-0 lead.
Cortland responded in the bottom half of the first inning and took a 2-1 lead with a two-run home run from Shelby LaMont.
In the top of the sixth, Oneonta put together a rally to regain the lead for good. Sophomore
Anna Spicciatie (Oakdale, N.Y./Connetquot) led it off with a double down the left field line, then Spicciatie advanced to third as she beat out the pitcher's throw on K. Kean's infield single to get runners on the corners. Once senior
Jaime Cardello (Cortlandt Manor, NY/Walter Panas) went down swinging, freshman pinch-runner
Kendall Ward (Manorville, NY/Eastport-South Manor) stole second and forced an errant throw from the Cortland catcher, allowing Spicciatie to cross home and tie the game.
With two outs and Ward on second, E. Kean connected with the ball on a 1-2 count and sent it sailing over the right field wall for her first collegiate home run and a 4-2 Oneonta lead.
Cortland was down to their final out in the seventh inning and managed to get the tying run on base. Morgan Ellerbrock hit an RBI single to make it a one-run game, however freshman
Caitlin McTiernan (Staten Island, NY/St. Joseph by the Sea) forced the next batter to ground out to first for the win.
Torgersen (4-7) received the win after pitching 5.0 innings, striking out four, and allowing two runs on seven hits. McTiernan (2) recorded her second save of the season after pitching the final 2.0 innings, allowing one run on two hits.
Spicciatie, sophomores
Emma Moore (Walden, N.Y./Valley Central) and
Tatum Passonno (Latham, N.Y./Shaker) all finished game one 1-for-3, while Camacho went 1-for-4.
Gianna Endieveri (6-3) received the loss after pitching the complete game, striking out seven and allowing four runs on seven hits.
Game Two: Oneonta 0, Cortland 8 (6 Innings)
Cortland scored their first run of game two in the first inning, unearned off a fielder's choice.
"Game two we didn't string hits together enough to push the runs across that we needed," Coach Johnson continued. "Always room to grow as a team!"
In the top of the fifth inning, Oneonta loaded the bases with two outs. Freshman
Rylee McGinness (East Quogue, NY/Westhampton Beach) reached on a fielder's choice before sophomore
Emma Moore (Walden, N.Y./Valley Central) poked a single past the pitcher and up the middle. Freshman
Eva Blaney (Huntington Station, NY/Walt Whitman) pinch hit and followed Moore with a single up the middle to load the bases. Cortland got out of the jam on the next at-bat on a fielder's choice.
Cortland pulled away with three runs in the fifth inning off an RBI double, RBI single, and a fielder's choice. They added four more runs in the sixth for the 8-0 final, off three RBI singles and a fielder's choice.
E. Kean and Moore both went 1-for-2 in game two, while Blaney was 1-for-1 with a pinch-hit single. Camacho ended game two 1-for-3.
McTiernan (1-8) was tagged with the loss after pitching 1.1 innings, allowing one unearned run on two hits. Sophomore
Tanner Smith (White Plains, N.Y./Vahalla) pitched 3.0 innings and allowed three runs on four hits. Torgersen pitched 1.0 inning, struck out one, and allowed three runs on two hits, while sophomore
Bridget Barry (East Patchogue, N.Y.) pitched 0.1 innings and allowed one run on two hits.
Olivia DiSalvo (6-1) picked up the win for Cortland after pitching 5.0 innings, striking out two and allowing four hits.
Oneonta is back on the road on Saturday, April 11, in Morrisville for a SUNYAC doubleheader starting at 12 pm.
