NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The SUNY Poly softball team opened up their season on Sunday with two losses in the Fastpitch Dreams Classic. The first game was a 5-0 loss to Eureka where the Wildcats struggled to get their offence going. The second was an 11-6 loss to Cedar Crest.

GAME 1:  SUNY Poly (0-1) vs Eureka (1-0)

The Wildcat offense struggled. The team had just two hits in the game.

TURNING POINT:

The two teams held each other scoreless through four innings. In the top of the fifth, Eureka hung a five spot on the score board. The first two runs crossed the plate on a fielding error by the Wildcats, followed by three more runs, all driven in on balls put in play.

Kali George earned the win on the mound for Eureka. Kylie Chesebro (Oneida, N.Y.) was tagged with the loss for the Wildcats. She threw 7 innings, allowing two earned runs on 10 hits.

STAT POINTS:

• Lead-off hitter Melissa Barber (Nassau, N.Y.) had both hits for the Wildcats. She went 2-3 with a walk.
• Eureka's Krysten Wallace went 3-3 in the game and drove in a run.
• Morgan Osbourne and Kerrigan Dura had two hits each for Eureka.
• The Wildcats drew four walks as a team.

GAME 2:  SUNY Poly (0-2) vs. Cedar Crest (2-0)

The Wildcats took a 2-1 lead in the top of the second on an RBI single from Melissa Barber. Cedar Crest tied the game up in the bottom of the second and took a 7-3 lead in the third. They added four more runs in their last two at-bats to keep the Wildcat comeback at-bay.

TURNING POINT:

The Falcons scored five runs in the bottom of the third to put the game out of reach. The Falcons rattled off five straight singles in the inning to drive in the runs.

Alexis Baxter earned the win on the mound for Cedar Crest. She threw a complete game allowing 10 hits and six earned runs. Celine Laracuente (Utica, N.Y.) and Taylor Hines (Mechanicsburg, N.Y.) threw three innings each. Laracuente was tagged with the loss.

STAT POINTS:

• Bailee Haddad (Frankfort, N.Y.) had a team high three hits and an RBI in the game for the Wildcats. One of her hits was a double.
• Melissa Barber had two hits and an RBI in the game.
• Bailey Wood (Preston Hollow, N.Y.) went 2-4 in the game with an RBI.
•  Kali Maggiolino (Whitesboro, N.Y.) also had two hits for the Wildcats, going 2-4.
• Aimee Sarboukh drove in a game high three runs for Cedar Crest.
• Brittany Bonser went 3-5 with two RBIs.
• Three other Falcons had multiple hits in the game.
• All of Cedar Crest's 15 hits were singles.

UP NEXT:

The Wildcats will face Wilkes and Wentworth tomorrow in day two of the Fastpitch Dreams Tournament. The first game against Wilkes is scheduled for a 9:30 AM first pitch. The game against Wentworth will start at 1:30 PM. Both games will take place at the NMB Sports Complex.