Lyndonville, VT - Vermont State University Lyndon and the State University of New York at Cobleskill squared off in a North Atlantic Conference softball doubleheader with first place in the NAC's West Division on the line on Friday afternoon. The visiting Fighting Tigers rallied in the final inning to take the opener, then ran away with the nightcap to improve to 13-10-1 on the season and 6-0 in NAC play. The Hornets fell to 6-15 on the season and 3-3 in conference.
Game 1 - SUNY Cobleskill 10, VTSU Lyndon 5
Claudia Knapp (Howell, NJ) gave the Hornets the early lead with a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning. Blake Southworth (Bethel, VT) had reached on an error and came across the plate on Knapp's blast.
Cobleskill got a run back in the top of the second inning when Aliyah Neeser was hit by a pitch and later came home on Hannah Dean's sacrifice fly.
Lyndon pushed their lead back to two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning.Shyanne Glencross (Tilton, NH) walked to lead off the inning. Seairra Anderson (Somersworth, NH) and Riley McNamara (Manchester, NH) followed with back to back singles to load the bases. Emily Anderson (Levittown, NY) grounded into a fielder's choice, driving in Gelncross to make the score 3-1, Lyndon.
The Tigers again cut the Hornet lead to a single run in the top of the fifth inning. Gabriells Wendelken drew a one out walk. She moved to third on a Neeser base hit and scored when Avery Prievo grounded into a fielder's choice.
Lyndon opened up some breathing room in the home half of the fifth. Glencross started things with a two-out double and Seairra Anderson followed with a base hit. McNamara then laced a double to right center field, scoring both runners to give the Hornets a 5-2 lead.
Lyndon maintained its lead into the top of the seventh inning. Mackenzie Wendelken singled to start the inning and Gabriella Wendelken walked to bring the tying run to the plate. One out later Prievo reached on a Hornet error, allowing two runners to score to make it a one-run game. After the Hornets got the second out, Dean walked to load the bases. Kailee DiGiacco then delivered a base hit to right field, driving in two runs to give Cobleskill the lead. Back to back singles from Jenna Smyczynski and Kylie Rattigan produced another run, then Mackenzie Wendelken's bases loaded walk made it 7-5. Gabriella Wendelken's double drove in two more, then Nesser's RBI single plated Mackenzie Wendelken with the final run. When the damage was done, the Tigers had scored eght runs in the inning, seven of which were unearned, to take a 10-5 lead.
Gabriella Wendelken shut down the Hornets in the bottom of the seventh inning to pick up the win for herself and for Cobleskill. She pitched a complete game, allowing three earned runs and nine hits with seven strikeouts and two walks. Emily Anderson took the loss for the Hornets, allowing three earned runs over 6.2 innings while yielding 13 hits and six walks.
Game 2 - SUNY Cobleskill 10, VTSU Lyndon 0
After a scoreless first inning, the Tigers took command in the top of the second inning. After Gabriella Wendelken singled leading off, Samantha Bargren and Laci Prignon drew back to back two-out walks to load the bases. DiGiacco promptly cleared them lashing a double to the right field fence to make the score 3-0, Cobleskill. Smyczynski follwoed with an RBI single to drive in DiGiacco and increase the Tiger lead to 4-0.
Cobleskill put the game out of reach with a five run third inning. Gabriella Wendelken led off the inning with a base hit, then Neeser beat out an infield hit. Prievo was hit by pitch to load the bases. Then three consecutive singles from Bargren, Laci Prignon, and DiGiacco, followed by a Smyczynski double, netted five more Tiger runs to increase the lead to 9-0.
Cobleskill tacked on an unearned insurance run in the top of the fourth inning to account for the final score.
Madelynn Orosz went all five innings in the circle to pick up the complete game shutout win. She scattered five hits and struck out four without gicing up a walk. McNamara also went the distance and took the loss, allwoing nine earned runs and 11 hits while striking out three and walking three.
The same two teams are scheduled to close out the weekend series with two more games on Saturday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 pm. Prior to the game the Hornets will honor their senior softball players.