SUNY Oneonta Athletics

Softball (16-11/7-3)

Apr. 18th at King’s College, L 3-7; W 7-5
The SUNY Oneonta softball team rallied for four runs in the top of the 7th inning of game 2 last Monday to earn a split of its doubleheader at King's College, winning 7-5. Junior Jillian Serraro (Hopewell Jct, John Jay) started the rally with a one-out home run to left field before the Red Dragons took advantage of three Monarch errors to score the final three runs of the inning. Freshman Kerry Leggett (Ballston Lake, Shenendehowa) closed the door in the bottom of the inning to earn her third win of the season.

Serraro, Katie Hackenburg (Queensbury, Queensbury), Meg Beditz (Troy, Troy) and Sam Voncina (Derby, Lake Shore) each collected two hits in the game for Oneonta.

King's took a 1-0, first-inning lead. King's added a run in the fourth inning off a solo home run over the left field fence. A three-run fifth inning with a leadoff solo home run and a two-run single to gave the Lady Monarchs a 5-1 lead.

King's, however, would close out the final two innings with poor defense, committing four errors. Oneonta used the miscues to rally, first scoring two unearned runs in the sixth inning to cut the score to 5-2.

In the opener, King's took a 1-0 lead. The Lady Monarchs added two runs in the second inning.

The RedDragons scored a pair of runs in the top half of the third to cut the Monarch lead to 3-2. Tricia Kendziera (Poughquag, Arlington) doubled down the left field line with one out and went to third on a single by Serraro. Kendziera scored on a ground out to third base by Hackenburg. Serraro, who made it to third on the ground out by Hackenburg, scored on a two-out single by Stacey Donald (Saugerties, Saugerties).

Kendziera, Serraro and Donald all had two hits in the game for the Red Dragons.

The Lady Monarchs responded in the bottom half of the third with three runs of their own.

After Oneonta cut the lead to 6-3 in the sixth, the Lady Monarch's added a final run.

Apr. 21st vs. New Paltz, W 11-6; W 10-2
SUNY Oneonta junior Serraro drove in five runs including three via a homerun in the fifth inning in powering the Red Dragons to a 11-6 win in game 1 of a doubleheader sweep last Thursday against visiting New Paltz. Serraro's round-tripper helped the Red Dragons overcome a 4-2 deficit. Serraro also ended game two in the home half of the fifth inning with her fifth homerun on the season that drove in three runs to give Oneonta the win via the eight-run rule.

The Red Dragons pounded out 12 hits in the opener including two hits from seniors Donald, Hackenburg, and Voncina. Voncina and Hackenburg each had extra base hits, with a triple and double respectively. Hackenburg also had two runs batted in.

Junior Jessica Iuliano (Haworth, NJ, Northern Valley Regional) went the distance for the Red Dragons, striking out seven in picking up her sixth win of the season.

In the second game, Oneonta jumped out to a 2-1 lead before New Paltz battled back to tie the game at 2's in the top of the third.

The Red Dragons scored seven runs with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning en route to the 10-2 win via the eight-run rule. Hackenburg went 3-for-3 with a double and a run batted in for the game. Freshman Chandler Campbell (Port Jervis, Port Jervis) went 2-for-3 for Oneonta and classmate Kendziera scored two runs after being walked three times.

Voncina and Serraro each had multiple runs batted in, with two and three respectively.

Oneonta junior Jessica Bartalsky (New Paltz, New Paltz) allowed five hits and struck out two in the five inning victory to earn her seventh win of the season.

Baseball (20-8/11-1)

Apr. 17th at Keystone, W 3-2
The SUNY Oneonta baseball team made three early runs stand up last Sunday, as the Red Dragons slipped by Keystone College 3-2 in non-conference baseball action. With the victory Oneonta moves to 18-8 overall, while Keystone falls to 17-9.

The story of this 2011 season for Oneonta has been its pitching and it was no different as three pitchers combined to hold a potent Giants offense at bay. Oneonta starter, Jeffrey Carter (Clifton Park, Shenendehowa), worked five innings to pick up the win for the Red Dragons. Carter allowed two runs on six hits while striking out four. Chris Tyson (Niskayuna, Niskayuna) worked the ninth, striking out two, in picking up the save. Junior Christopher Smith (Colonie, Colonie) threw three scoreless innings to get to Tyson in the ninth.

The Red Dragons pushed across a single run in the second and two more in the third and made them hold up as the Giants tried to chip away at the lead.

Oneonta's first run came via the long ball when sophomore Mike Mascari (Syracuse, Westhill) homered to right in the second. They extended the lead to 3-0 the following inning when they strung together RBI singles by Jonathan Wolfanger (Oneonta, Oneonta) and Mascari. Mascari finished the game with a pair of hits and two RBIs.

Apr. 18th at Montclair State, W 4-3
Sophomore designated hitter Bryan Marotta (Clifton Park, Shenendehowa) muscled a solo homer with one out in the top of the 12th inning for the game-winning run as Oneonta State won its fourth straight slipping past Montclair State 4-3 at Yogi Berra Stadium last Monday afternoon.

Freshman second baseman Jake Robinson (East Norwich, Oyster Bay) tied the game in the top of the ninth with a one-out RBI single as the Red Dragons posted a one-run win for the second consecutive day.

On the 30th anniversary of the longest professional game played, the Red Hawks and Red Dragons played a little homage to the 1981 contest between the Pawtucket Red Sox and Rochester Red Wings that went 33 innings and was won by Pawtucket, 3-2.

The Red Dragons were down to their final three outs in the ninth however Cody Hitt (Boonville, Adirondack) reached on an error and was sacrificed to second. Robinson then lined a single to center knotting the game at 3-3.

Each team would get chances leaving runners on base in the 10th and 11 innings. Red Dragon reliever, Tyson, got out of the inning with a fly out and strikeout after a leadoff single and hit batter, as the game headed into the 12th.

Montclair pitcher fanned the first hitter in the inning and then went 0-2 on Marotta before the right-handed batter connected on an inside pitch that cleared the wall in left field as Oneonta took a 4-3 lead. It was Marotta's second home run of the season.

Tyson made that hold up as he retired the Red Hawks in order in the bottom of the inning for the win as he upped his record to 2-1. Tyson went the final four innings allowing two hits and striking out three.

Montclair State took a 1-0 lead in the fifth. MSU added a run in the seventh on a double for the two-run advantage.

After being held scoreless by Montclair’s starting pitcher, the Red Dragons were finally able to break through in the top of the eighth. Michael DeCarr (Syracuse, Westhill) singled in the first run and pinch-hitter Nate Jones (Apalachin, Seton Catholic) infield hit scored DeCarr as Oneonta tied the game at 2-2.

Montclair State would retake the lead in the bottom of the inning, 3-2.

First, DeCarr grabbed a ground ball down the line and was able to get the runner out on a rundown play for the second out. Then with a runner on second, MCS batter laced a liner to center field that Sean Fruscio (Latham, Shaker) hauled in on an outstretched catch to end the inning.

Ken Smith (Ossining, Ossining) started for the Red Dragons and went five innings giving up a run and three hits with six strikeouts and two walks.

Marotta finished 2-for-4 at the plate while DeCarr led all players going 3-for-5.

Apr. 21st vs. Plattsburgh, W 6-5 (12 innings)
For the second straight game the SUNY Oneonta baseball team had to play 12 innings before pulling out a win. Last Thursday, it was a 6-5 victory against SUNYAC foe Plattsburgh in weather that was more conducive to a winter sport than a spring sport. With the win, Oneonta reaches the 20-win mark for the tenth consecutive year and 15th time in 16 years under head coach, Rick Ferchen.

Junior Kevin Knack (Ghent , Ichabod Crane) was the hero for Oneonta as he hit a two-out single to left center field to drive in classmate Hitt from third base for the game-winning run. Hitt led off the 12th with a walk before being sacrificed to second base by classmate Michael Center (Schenectady, Schenectady). Hitt moved to third on a ground out to shortstop by Matthew Whelehan (Brooklyn, Midwood), setting up the final play for Knack.

Knack finished the game with four hits and two RBIs to lead the offense this afternoon.

Picking up his second win of the week in relief was junior Tyson, who pitched 4-1/3 scoreless innings allowing only two hits and striking out one batter. Tyson followed classmate Corey Andresen (Deposit, Deposit), who went 2-2/3 innings allowing only two hits, no runs while striking out three batters.

Plattsburgh jumped on Oneonta starter Carter for two runs in the top of the first inning.

Carter ended up throwing five innings allowing five runs, one earned, five hits and striking out four Cardinals.

Oneonta scored single runs in the first and second to tie the score at two apiece. Back-to-back doubles by sophomores Marotta and DeCarr accounted for Oneonta's first run of the game. Wolfanger scored Oneonta's second run via a wild pitch.

Oneonta created some breathing room with three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Hitt was hit by a pitch to start the inning, then stole second and came around to score on a single to left field by Center. Center stole second and scored on a one-out single to center field by Knack. Knack scored the final run of the inning on a double to left field by Marotta.

Plattsburgh rallied in the top of the sixth inning to tie the game. They strung together a couple of hits mixed with a couple of walks and a throwing error to push across three runs.

After the Cardinals loaded the bases with no outs, Carter walked a batter to force in the first run. A one-out sacrifice fly knocked in a run for the second run of the inning. Plattsburgh loaded the bases again with two outs, but Andresen, who relieved Carter, got his first batter to ground back to the mound for the final out.

The Cardinals threatened again in the eighth inning, but Tyson was able to get a pop out to second base with the bases loaded.

Women’s Lacrosse (3-10/2-3)

Apr. 16th vs. Geneseo, L 10-17
SUNY Oneonta junior Rebecca Monteith (West Islip, West Islip) scored six goals, but it was not enough as the Red Dragons were defeated at home last Saturday by SUNY Geneseo 17-10 in SUNYAC women's lacrosse action. With her six points in today's game, Monteith becomes only the third player in the history of the women's lacrosse program to eclipse 200 points. Monteith currently has 167 goals and 35 assists for 202 career points.

The game remained scoreless through the first 14 minutes of the contest before Geneseo back-to-back goals to take a 2-0 lead.
Monteith cut the lead in half with her first of the game off an assist from sophomore Caroline Tulley (Malverne, Sacred Heart Academy). Tulley would finish the contest with three goals and two assists.

The Blue Knights then took control of the game with six unanswered goals to take an 8-1 lead into halftime.

Oneonta came out of the break and scored three straight goals to cut the Geneseo lead to 8-4. Monteith scored just nine seconds into the second half, which was followed by a pair of goals by Tulley.

Apr. 20th vs. Utica College, W 15-12
One game after surpassing 200 career points, SUNY Oneonta junior Monteith added to her total last Wednesday with five goals to lead the Red Dragons to a 15-12 win over visiting Utica College. The game was a make-up of the Mar. 9 contest that was postponed due to snow.
Utica got on the scoreboard in the sixth minute of the game with an unassisted goal.

The Red Dragons then scored three unanswered goals in the span of five minutes to take a 3-1 lead. Sophomore Tulley tied the score before classmate Andrea Spano (Mt. Sinai, Mt. Sinai) put Oneonta ahead. Monteith capped the run with her first goal of the game.

After another Utica goal cut the Red Dragons lead in half, the hosts ran off three straight to take a 6-2 lead with just over 10 minutes to go in the opening half.

Oneonta led 8-3 before the Pioneers registered three unanswered goals to end the first half and then added the first two goals of the second half to tie the game at 8-8.

A costly yellow card on a Utica laxer gave Oneonta a player advantage, which they used to score three times to take an 11-8 lead. Freshman Jennifer Fox (Auburn, Auburn) scored the first goal and then was followed by Monteith and Spano.

Utica got as close as 12-10, but some key saves by game-winning goalie, Laura Grose (Yorktown Heights, Yorktown) , kept the Pioneers off the scoreboard while the Red Dragons added to its lead in the latter part of the second half. Grose, who came in to start the second half, made six saves in goal to collect her second win of the season.

Men’s Lacrosse (3-8/1-2)

Apr. 16th at Oswego, W 10-9
A trio of sophomores lifted the SUNY Oneonta men's lacrosse team to a 10-9 victory last Saturday on the road at Oswego. Mike Salerno (West Babylon, West Babylon), Jimmy van de Veerdonk (Putnam Valley, Putnam Valley) and Tyler Jennings (Brewerton, Central Square) were all a part of the final two goals of the game to overcome a 9-8 deficit in the final two minutes of the contest.

The game-winning goal was scored by Salerno with an assist from van de Veerdonk with four second left on the clock. Salerno finished the game with four goals to lead Oneonta, who won its second straight game and first conference game of 2011.

Van de Veerdonk tied the game with 1:57 remaining of an assist from Jennings. Van de Veerdonk scored three goals and had two assists in the game while Jennings had the one assist. Van de Veerdonk also won 14-of-21 face offs in the game.

Van de Veerdonk scored a pair of goals and Salerno tallied three goals in helping the Red Dragons to a 5-0 lead in the first period.

Oswego closed the gap to 6-3 at halftime and then scored a pair of goals in the third period to cut Oneonta's lead to 6-5 entering the fourth period. The Lakers gained its first lead of the game with 4:03 left in the game at 9-8.

Senior Sean Reynolds (Bethpage, Bethpage) made eight saves in goal for Oneonta to pick up his first win of the season.