SUNY COBLESKILL SOFTBALL SWEEPS NAC OPENING DOUBLEHEADER FROM SUNY POLYTCHNIC INSTITUTE 9-1 5-3

Oneonta, N.Y.: The SUNY Cobleskill women’s softball team opened their North Atlantic Conference (NAC) season by sweeping the Wildcats of the SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) on Friday afternoon in a pair of conference games by scores of 9-1 and 5-3 that were played on the turf at SUNY Oneonta’s Red Dragon Softball Field due to field conditions brought about by storms that swept to the region on Thursday.  With the sweep the Fighting Tigers are now 4-12 overall on the year with a 2-0 record in NAC play while SUNY Poly moves to 2-10 overall including a 0-2 conference record.  

The opening game was a pitcher’s duel through the first four and a half innings between Wildcat junior Trinity Critelli, Frankfort, N.Y., Frankfort-Schuyler High School, and Fighting Tiger junior Victoria Decker, Stone Ridge, N.Y., Rondout Valley High School with Cobleskill holding a 2-1 advantage. 

However, in the home half of the inning the Fighting Tigers erupted for seven runs highlighted by a two-run/two out walk-off home run by senior right fielder Alyssa Villielm, Rifton, N.Y., Kingston High School, which ended the game via mercy rule.  

Victoria Decker was credited with the victory to improve to 2-7 overall on the season allowing one run on five hita striking out four while walking only one while Trinity Citelli took the loss to fall to 1-4 overall allowing seven earned runs despite striking out eight and walking only two. 

Offensively the Wildcats were led by sophomore third baseman Amy DeSena, Pine Bush, N.Y., Pine Bush High School, who went 1-for-3 with a triple and a run scored and by sophomore Aeron Hamm, Oriskany, N.Y., Oriskany High School, who was 1-for-2 with the team’s lone RBI. 

The Fighting Tigers received stellar efforts from senior centerfielder Jillian Nitchman, Ballston Spa, N.Y., Ballston Spa High School, went was 3-for-3 with two runs scored and a RBI, senior shortstop Maya Davis, Binghamton, N.Y., Chenango Valley High School/Onondaga Community College, who was 2-for-3 with a triple, a run scored and a RBI, senior second baseman Aubrie Marx, Rotterdam, N.Y., Mohanasen High School, who was 1-for-2 with a run scored and two RBI and Alyssa Villielm who was 1-for-4 with the game ending two-run homer.  

In the nightcap Cobleskill sophomore right-hander Marissa Wheeler, Kinderhook, N.Y., Icabod Crane High School, shook off four Fighting Tiger errors to hold the Wildcats to one earned run on five hits over seven innings of work striking out a career high of 12 while walking only one to improve to 2-4 overall on the season to turn SUNY Poly sophomore starter Caitlin Reilly, Whitesboro, N.Y., Whitesboro High School, into a hard-luck loser despite holding the home team to only three earn runs over six inning to fall to 1-3 overall on the season.       

The Wildcats were led at the plate by senior left fielder Sydney Pellman, Chittenango, N.Y., Chittenango High School, who went 1-for-3 with a walk, a stolen base and a RBI and by junior catcher Maddelyn Hoehn, Oriskany, N.Y., Oriskany High School, who was 1-for-4 with a double and a RBI. 

Cobleskill was once again paced by left fielder Alyssa Villielm who was 2-for-4 with a run scored and a RBI, centerfielder Jillian Nitchman who was 1-for-3 with a triple and a RBI and by second baseman Aubrie Marx who was 2-for-3 with a run scored. 

The Wildcats and Fighting Tigers have moved their solo game that had originally scheduled to be played Saturday at SUNY Oneonta to Tuesday April 12 at Cobleskill’s Fighting Tiger Field at a time to be determined later due to field availability and the potential for inclement weather. 

Cobleskill is next scheduled to be in action on Monday April 11 they host the Trailblazers of the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) for a non-league doubleheader at Fighting Tiger Park with first pitch scheduled for 3:00 p.m.