The Morrisville State College softball team had thrilling finishes in the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) doubleheader against local rival Cazenovia College, sweeping the visitors by a 4-1 and 7-6 final in Morrisville.
The wins boost the Mustangs overall record to 4-10, pulling them even in conference play at 4-4. Cazenovia has yet to notch the first win of the season, dropping to 0-20 overall, 0-6 in NEAC action.
In the first of the day’s action, Morrisville State held a 4-1 lead heading into the final inning before Cazenovia loaded the bases in the top of the seventh with no outs. Freshman pitcher, Tiffany Burks (Macedon, N.Y.) proceeded to strike out the ensuing two batters and with a full count on the next at bat forced a ground out to first to end the inning to record her first collegiate victory on the mound.
Burks posted six strikeouts in the contest, allowing five hits and one run in 26 at bats.
Morrisville State had the bats rolling from the get go, tallying five of their game’s eight hits in the opening inning, while crossing the plate three times.
The Mustangs fourth run came in the third inning off a home run by Jillian Mosley (Salem, N.J.) over the left center fence, her second consecutive game hitting the long ball.
Mosley led Morrisville State from the plate, hitting 2-of-3 while posting an RBI. Kayla Walker (Oneida, N.Y.) also went 2-for-3, registering an RBI in the opening frame off a single.
In the nightcap, Cazenovia posted three runs in the top of the seventh inning to take a 6-4 lead over the hosts, but the Mustangs didn’t go away quietly, loading the bases with two outs in the bottom of the inning.
Junior pitcher Jenna D’Ercole (Highland, N.Y.) stepped up to the plate for the Mustangs and popped one over second base for a double to score two, tying the game at six.
With D’Ercole in scoring position, Morrisville State’s leadoff batter, Nicole Duchene (Oneida, N.Y.) who had the hot bat throughout the second game, stepped up to the plate and hit a single to the short stop, beat the throw to first, and scored D’Ercole for the win.
Duchene finished the game hitting 4-for-5 from the plate, including a triple in the fifth inning, and an RBI in the seventh.
Farrell recorded her first collegiate home run, hitting the long ball to left center in the third inning.
D’Ercole threw the win on the mound, allowing 10 hits in 30 at bats, six runs (two earned), while striking out a season high 10.
Morrisville State returns to the field tomorrow, traveling to Cazenovia for another NEAC doubleheader, a rescheduled contest from earlier in the season.