Oneonta, NY - The State University of New York at Cobleskill rallied to take the opening game of Sunday's North Atlantic Conference softball doubleheader against Vermont State University Lyndon, then completed the sweep by shutting out the Hornets in game two. Cobleskill improved to 19-10-1 on the season and finished NAC play unbeaten at 12-0. Lyndon fell to 6-23 overall and 3-9 in conference.
Game 1 - SUNY Cobleskill 11, VTSU Lyndon 8
Cobleskill jumped in front right away in the top of the first inning. Jenna Smyczynski started things with a leadoff double then moved to third on Kylie Rattigan's infield hit. Smyczynski then scored on a passed ball to put the Tigers in front. Back to back walks to Mackenzie Wendelken and Gabriella Wendelken loaded the bases, then Avery Prievo's sacrifice fly brought Rattigan home. Hannah Dean followed with a three-run home run to give Cobleskill a 5-0 lead.
Lyndon responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning. After Lindsey Gannon (Beverly, MA) drew a one-out walk, Blake Southworth (Bethel, VT) doubled to move Gannon to third. Claudia Knap (Howell, NJ) then lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to drive in Gannon, and Riley McNamara's (Manchester, NH) base hit scored Southworth, cutting the Cobleskill lead to 5-2.
Lyndon inched closer in the bottom of the third inning. Southworth beat out an infield hit leading off, then promptly stole second and third. After Knapp walked, Southworth scored on McNamara's ground out, making it 5-3, Cobleskill.
Knapp homered leading off the bottom of the fifth inning to make it a one-run game. McNamara then walked and was lifted for pinch runner Sarah Collier (Hardwick, VT). Collier came all the way around to score and tie the game when Cobleskill misplayed Seairra Anderson's (Somersworth, NH) base hit. Glencross reached beating out a dropped third strike, Lyndon then took the lead when Anderson crossed the plate on Kazandra Gonzalez' (norwalk, CA) ground out. After Megan Richardson (Essex Junction, VT) singled, Glencross came home on the back end of a double steal, giving the Hornets a 7-5 lead.
The Hornets carried the two run lead into the top of the seventh inning. After Lyndon got the first out, three straight walks to Rattigan, Mackenzie Wendelken, and Gabriella Wendelken loaded the bases. Rattigna scored on a wild pitch to make it a one-run game, then both Wendelkens came home on Aliyah Neeser's sacrifice fly ant the subsequent Hornet error on the play, giving the Tigers an 8-7 lead. After Prievo doubled and Dean walked, Madelynn Orosz singled down the left field line to bring home Previo. Laci Prignon singled to load the bases, then back to back RBI singles from Smycyznski and Rattigan gave Cobleskill an 11-7 lead.
Anne Watkins (Los Angeles, CA) hit a two-out home run in the bottom of the seventh inning, but that was all the damage the Hornets would do.
Gabriella Wendelken went the distance in the circle to pick up the win. She allowed eight hits and struck out eight while walking seven. McNamara also went the distance in taking the loss. She allowed ten hits and struck out two while walking ten.
Game 2 - SUNY Cobleskill 8, VTSU Lyndon 0
Cobleskill plated two runs in the first inning and five more in the second to take control early. Smyczynski walked leading off the game. She advanced to second on Rattigan's infield hit, then stole third and scored on a passed ball. Rattigan later scored on Previo's RBI single.
In the top of the second, the Tigers loaded the bases with no outs. Brielle Dixon reached on a dropped third strike, then Orosz singled and Prignon walked. Smyczynsk delivered a two-run single. Then after Rattigan walked, Prignon scored on another passed ball. After Mackenzie Wendelken's double cleared the bases, Cobleskill found itself with a seven run advantage.
The Tigers tacked on one more run in the top of the fifth inning when Orosz tripled, then scored on Smyczynsk's base hit.
Meanwhile Lyndon couldn't get anything going against Orosz the entire game. The Hornets only mustered two base runners. Gannon reached on an error in the bottom of the first inning, and McNamara singled leading off the fifth. Orosz allowed only the one hit and didn't walk or strike out a batter in picking up the win. Emily anderson (Levittown, NY) went the distance in the circle for Lyndon and took the loss. She allowed seven earned runs and 11 hits while striking out two and walking four.
Despite Sunday's losses, Lyndon qualified for the North Atlantic Conference Championship Tournament by virtue of Vermont State University Johnson's loss to the State University of New York at Delhi on Sunday afternoon. The Hornets join SUNY Cobleskill and SUNY Delhi from the NAC's West Division, along with Husson University, Thomas College, and the University of Maine at Farmington from the NAC East, in the six team double elimination tournament. NAC West regular season champion SUNY Cobleskill will host the tournament, with play set to begin on Thursday. Seeding and game times are expected to be announced by the conference office on Monday.
