Softball Rallies in Game One, Puts 13 Runs on the Board in Game Two to Sweep Morrisville

MORRISVILLE, NY – The SUNYIT softball team had a come-from-behind 5-3 victory in game one and followed that up with a 13-run outing in game two to sweep the Morrisville State Mustangs in conference action Friday.  The Lady Wildcats, winners of eight straight contests, remained perfect in conference play at 8-0 and improved to 10-3 overall, while Morrisville fell to 2-2 in the NEAC North and 5-7 overall.

The Wildcats found themselves down 2-1 in the top of the seventh during game one, but took advantage of back-to-back Morrisville errors to begin the inning and would eventually load the bases.  That's where senior Amanda Myers (Boonville, NY/Adirondack) would draw a walk that brought home the tying run and keep the bases loaded, but sophomore Lauren Marleau (Prospect, NY/Holland Patent) would ground out in the next at-bat to end the inning.

Senior pitcher Meaghan McGurn (Slingerlands, NY/Hudson Valley CC) would make quick work of Morrisville with a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the frame that would force extra innings.  The Wildcats' offense finally came to life in the eighth, as they scored three runs on a two-run triple by junior Nicolette Kennedy (Yonkers, NY/Good Counsel Academy) and an RBI single by classmate Kwanisha Jones (San Antonio, TX/Indian River) to go up 5-3.  McGurn would then secure the victory with another 1-2-3 inning and finished the day with five strikeouts, while also going 1-for-3 at the plate with one RBI and one run scored.

Kennedy and junior Amanda Pratt (Rochester, NY/Rush-Henrietta) both scored two runs for SUNYIT, while Jones finished with two hits.

Kayla Walker had two hits and scored two runs for Morrisville, while Jenna D'Ercole struck out six batters in eight innings on the mound.

The Wildcats would carry their momentum into game two, exploding for 13 runs and shutting out Morrisville's offense to run-rule the Mustangs after five innings of play.  Sophomore Lyndsey Brognano (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) led the way, going a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate with two doubles, four RBI and four runs scored.  Marleau drove in three runs on two hits and also scored a run, while Kennedy and Jones both scored two runs and drove in another.

Junior Juleah Vedder (Dolgeville, NY/Dolgeville) tossed a complete game two-hitter and struck out a season-high nine batters to record her sixth win of the year, while also going 1-for-3 with two RBI at the plate.

The Wildcats will be back in action tomorrow for another conference doubleheader, traveling to take on Wells College at 1:00 pm.