Troy, NY--- The Sage Colleges' softball team hosted the Hawks of SUNY-New Paltz on Wednesday afternoon and recorded a split. The Gators took the first game 5-3, while the Hawks took the nightcap, 6-4. Sage stands at 20-13 on the year, while SUNY-New Paltz is now 12-18.
Game # 1 Sage 5-3 New Paltz
Sage's sophomore short stop Hillary Faas (East Greenbush, NY/Columbia) drove in three runs to pas the Gators after a 2-2 effort at the plate, while adding a double. Rookie outfielder Samantha Woitkoski (Troy, NY/Lansingburgh) added a 2-3 effort as well for the Gators, while sophomore catcher Tricia Gaulin (South Glens Falls, NY/South Glens Falls) drove in a run to help Sage in the contest.
New Paltz's Melissa Liotta (Brentwood, NY/St. John The Baptist) connected on a home run, a solo shot in the top of the first inning to give the Hawks a brief 1-0 lead.
Collecting the win for Sage was junior pitcher Kelsey Newberg (New Britain, CT/New Britain) as she worked a complete game and struck out three en route to her 11th win. Newberg is now 11-7 on the year after scattering seven hits.
SUNY-Paltz's junior pitcher Amber Carozza (Milton, NY/Milton) took the loss to drop to 6-8. She worked 3.1 innings with three earned runs off eight hits and had two strikeouts. Freshman Meg Brewer (Bayport, NY/Bayport-Blue Point) threw 2.2 innings with no hits and a pair of walks to go with her one strikeout in relief.
Game # 2 New Paltz 6-4 Sage
The Hawks collected nine hits, including three doubles to collect the 6-4 win despite a seventh inning rally from the Gators. Junior Andrea Feeney (Ulster Park, NY/Kingston) was 2-3 with a pair of RBIs and a double to pace the Hawks, while sophomore Chelsea Kull (Manorville, NY/Eastport South Manor) added a pair of RBIs and a double as well. Brewer was 2-4 with an RBI and double.
For the Gators, a number of school single-season marks were either broken or tied in the nightcap.
Junior Rachel Smith (Valatie, NY/Ichabod Crane) added a pair of RBIs, while connecting on a double. She also scored her 33rd run of the season to break the Sage mark for runs scored, which had been held by Melissa Roy (1999, 31 runs).
Senior Meghan Welcome (Cohoes, NY/Cohoes) added her 14th double of the year to tie the single-season double record, held by Kellie Jones (14, 2009). Another Gator record was tied by rookie second baseman, Kristen Beikirch (Brockport, NY/Brockport) as she was 2-4 with an RBI in the game. She tied the single-season hit record with her 49th hit, to share the record with Melissa Roy (49, 1999). Faas also recorded her 112th at bat of the season in the game, tying Sage's single-season at bat record with Melissa Roy (112, 2001).
Smith took the loss for the Gators to fall to 9-6 after 2.1 innings of work with one earned run off five hits. Sophomore Jessica Saburro (Schenectady, NY/Guilderland) worked 4.2 innings of relief with four strikeouts and three earned runs off four hits.
New Paltz's rookie Erika Traina (Bay Shore, NY/Bay Shore) threw a complete game in earning the win to elevate her season record to 2-1. She struck out five and gave up three earned runs off 11 hits and survived a seventh inning rally as Sage pushed two runs across the plate to pull within a pair and had the tying run at bat before the Hawks were able to escape.
