Morrisville State softball earns split with Canton

The Morrisville State College softball team split double header action Wednesday afternoon against Canton, topping the Kangaroos 5-3 in the first of the day, and falling 5-4 in the second.



Morrisville State remains even at 5-5, while Canton improves to 6-13.



The Mustangs trailed 3-2 after five innings in game one, before rallying with the bats in the top of the sixth for three runs and the 5-3 eventual win. A single from Monique Smith (Bronx, N.Y.) resulted in runs scored by Paige Jerrett (Parish, N.Y.) and Kayla Walker (Oneida, N.Y.), before Samantha Porter (Newfield, N.Y.) added another run on a wild pitch.



Morrisville State's defense forced two quick final innings for the Kangaroos, as Jenna D'Ercole (Highland, N.Y.) threw three additional strikeouts to collect the win on the mound. D'Ercole allowed nine hits and four total runs (three earned), while registering 15 total strikeouts.



Smith was 1-for-3 from the plate in the game, scoring one and driving in two as teammate Eileen Farrell (Johnsonville, N.Y.) went 2-for-4. Cassandra Smith (Lansing, N.Y.) had 14 put outs for the Mustangs.



In the night cap, Morrisville State held a 4-3 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, before Canton scored an unearned run on an error and added another on a single to center field to claim the 5-4 victory.



Cassandra Smith led Morrisville State from the plate, going 2-for-3 and three RBI's, including a two run homer in the top of the fifth inning. Monique Smith also was 2-for-3, scoring one.



D'Ercole recorded the loss, throwing 6.1 innings and allowing 10 hits, five runs (two earned), while striking out eight.



Morrisville State returns to the field Friday, hosting SUNY Cobleskill at 3 p.m.