The SUNY Cobleskill women’s softball team made a strong move toward the North Eastern Athlete Conference (NEAC) Championship Tournament on Thursday afternoon as the Fighting Tigers swept visiting Morrisville State College by scores of 5-3 and 4-2 in league action. With the victories Cobleskill evens their overall record at 15-15 overall including a 9-7 mark in NEAC while the Mustangs fall to 5-17 overall with a 5-11 mark in conference action. The team’s 15 wins are the most in a single season for the program which was established as an intercollegiate sport at the junior college level in 1978.
In the opening game the Orange & Black trailed 3-2 after three innings on the strength of a two-run homer by Mustang freshman pitcher Tiffany Burks, Macedon, N.Y., Ganada High School, who was 2-for-4 at the plate with a triple, a home run and two RBI. The talented rookie southpaw was also a hard-luck loser on the afternoon allowing four earned runs in six innings striking out four while walking three.
The Cobleskill winning rally came in the bottom of the fifth inning when sophomore left fielder Julia Lull, St. Johnsville, N.Y., St. Johnsville High School, reached on an error and promptly stole second base. Lull advance to third on a single by freshman shortstop Mattea Bagley, Salisbury, Vt. Middlebury High School, who took second on a throw to the plate. Lull then scored on an RBI single by freshman third baseman Melissa Spears, East Fishkill, N.Y., John Jay High School, to tie the game at 3-3 with Bagley advancing to third. After an infield out advance Spears to second base freshman center fielder Erin Wadsworth, Valatie, N.Y., Ichabod Crane High School, broke the game open with a two-run single to centerfield scoring Bagley and Spears to give Cobleskill a 5-3 lead.
Sophomore pitcher Brianne Gray, Hornell, N.Y., Hornell High School, made that lead stand-up holding the visitors scoreless over the final four innings retiring 11 consecutive Morrisville hitters at one point. Gray allowed only two earned runs in seven innings of work striking out five while walking only two to record the win.
The team’s hitting heroes in the game were: Bagley who went 2-for-3 with a triple, two runs scored and an RBI, Spears who was 2-for-3 with two RBI and Wadsworth who was 1-for-2 with two RBI. Freshman second baseman Madeline DeMilio, Valhalla, N.Y., Valhalla High School, was also productive in the lead-off spot going 2-for-4 with a stolen base and a run scored.
In the nightcap Cobleskill scored all the runs they would need in the first inning when Lull doubled home catcher Madeline DeMilio who had walked and advance to third on a pair of passed balls. Junior second baseman Kelsey DeZalia, Slingerlands, N.Y., Voorheesville High School, then singled Lull to third and advanced to second on a throw to the plate. Lull then scored on a wild pitch with DeZalia advancing to third. After a walk to pitcher Erin Wadsworth, sophomore first baseman Kayla Shea, Elizaville, N.Y., Stissing High School, singled home DeZalia with the eventual game winning RBI.
Given the 3-0 early lead Wadsworth battled her way to the victory allowing only one earned run in seven innings striking out 13 hitters while walking five on the afternoon.
Morrisville junior right-hander Jenna D’Ercole, Highland, N.Y., Highland High School, proved a strong match for Wadsworth allowing only two earned runs in six innings striking out eight hitters while walking four in the loss.
Cobleskill’s Madeline DeMilio was once again an offensive catalyst for the home team from the top of the order going 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
Cobleskill will return to action on Saturday April 27 when they host The Storm of Keuka College in NEAC play beginning at 1:00 p.m. before hosting the Wells College Express for a pair of NEAC games in the season finale on Sunday April 28. Morrisville State will next take to the field on Saturday April 27 when they travel to Utica, N.Y. to face SUNYIT in league action beginning at 1:00 p.m.