MINNEOLA, Fla. – Sage softball fell to Oneonta State 9-5 and Mount Ida 4-2 Tuesday afternoon on day two of spring break.
In the first game with Oneonta (4-1), the Red Dragons got out to a one run lead when Katie O'Gorman score on a Marlene Cuevas double down the leftfield line.
In the top of the second, Oneonta loaded the bases with two outs, but catcher Brittany Brooks (North Bangor, NY/Salmon River Central) made a heads up played and caught a runner stealing home to end the inning. The freshman caught another runner stealing second in the top of the third, but Dana Del Genio hit a two-run homer over the left field fence two batters late to put the Red Dragons up 3-0. Oneonta's power hitters kept the pressure up, and Kaycee Simpson hit a three-run homer to left field to go up 6-0.
In the bottom of the fourth, Sage's (1-3) Kristen Silk (Freehold, NY/Greenville) scored on a Jess Adams (Nassau, NY/Columbia) double to right center. The next at bat, Kiersten Duncan (Millerton, NY/Taconic Hills) hit Katy Rimawi (Ballston Spa, NY/Ballston Spa) home to cut Oneonta's lead down to 6-2. With Adams on third, Duncan on second and Brooks on first, Sage had the tying run at the plate, but Oneonta pitcher Alyssa Bluethgen forced a groundout to end the inning.
The Red Dragons added three unearned runs on Cori McFall and Rebecca Wentink RBI's in the top of the fifth to extend their lead to 9-2. In the bottom of the inning, Alexa Silk (Freehold, NY/Greenville) scored on double steal with Kristen Silk taking second. Kristen Silk then went on to score on a Duncan double to left center. The next at bat, Destiny Wierzbicki (Albany, NY/Troy) hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield to hit Rimawi home and cut the lead to 9-5 at the end of the fifth.
In the bottom of the fifth, Rimawi and Adams led off with a pair of singles, but the runners were left stranded after two strikeouts and a pop-up to second base.
Oneonta's Bluethgen (1-0) picked up her first win of the season with five strikeouts while Amy Hart (St. Johnsonville, NY/Little Falls) (0-2) picked up the loss. Allison Ford (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) came out of the bullpen for the Gators and put in four innings of work with zero earned runs against.
Duncan went 2-4 for Sage with two RBI's and a double. Kristen Silk and Rimawi both were 1-2 with two runs apiece. Adams was the only Gator with a multi-hit game going 2-4 with one RBI. Kristen Silk and Alexa Silk led Sage in base running with two steals each.
The Red Dragons were led by Simpson with three RBI's and a home run on a 1-4 effort. Del Genio added a home run while going 1-2 on the day. Wentink was the only player with two RBI's or more while going 1-2. McFall scored the most on the team with two runs on a 1-2 day.
In the second game with Mount Ida (3-2), Rimawi hit a no out single to the shortstop to hit Alexa Silk. The next batter, Adams, hit a sacrifice fly to left field that scored Kristen Silk to put Sage up 2-0 going into the bottom of the first. Mount Ida cut the Gator lead down to 2-1 when Emma Morton hit a two out single to centerfield to hit Lucianna Medici home.
In the bottom of the third, the Mustangs tied the game 2-2 when Medici stole home on a double-steal with Keeliey Zompetti taking second. Mount Ida tacked on the go-ahead run the following inning when Kelsey Weston scored on a fielder's choice.
Mount Ida kept up the offense in the bottom of the fifth when Medici scored on a Morton sacrifice fly to centerfield to go up 4-2.
The Gators had their best chance to tie the game in the top of the seventh when Aanisah Taylor (Great Barrington, MA/Monument Mountain Regional) reached first on a fielding error, but the sophomore was left stranded after two fly outs and a strikeout.
Hart (0-3) picked up the loss for Sage while Mount Ida's Nicole Handzel (3-0) threw a complete game with five strikeouts for the win.
Sage was led on offense by Kristen Silk (1-2, three stolen bases, run), Alexa Silk (1-4, stolen base, run), Taylor (3-2), Rimawi (1-3, stolen base, RBI) and Adams (1-2, RBI). Meanwhile, the Mustangs were led by Morton (2-1, two RBI's) and Medici (2-2, three runs, three stolen bases) at the plate.
The Gators continue their spring break trip tomorrow as they take on Heidelberg and John Carroll at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. respectively at Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex.
