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Bears split softball doubleheader to begin Florida trip

Posted 3/11/12

FT. MYERS, FLA.- The SUNY Potsdam softball team (3-1) split a doubleheader on Sunday afternoon to begin their week in Florida. The Bears defeated MCLA 10-2 in the first game before falling to Saint …

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Bears split softball doubleheader to begin Florida trip

Posted

FT. MYERS, FLA.- The SUNY Potsdam softball team (3-1) split a doubleheader on Sunday afternoon to begin their week in Florida. The Bears defeated MCLA 10-2 in the first game before falling to Saint Mary’s (1-1) 12-7 in following contest.

Potsdam used a five-run first inning and needed only five frames to put away the Trailblazers (1-4). The first five batters of the game reached base safely in the rally, capped by a three-run homer off the bat of senior infielder Heather Johnson. Johnson finished the game with four RBI’s as the Bears took advantage of four MCLA errors. Potsdam had seven hits for the game, led by freshman shortstop Sami Brown who went 2-for-3 with three runs scored and an RBI while also stealing three bases. Senior pitcher Brittany Pawlowski improved to 2-0 on the season, going five innings and giving up only one hit. She allowed one earned run and added two runs and two stolen bases on offense.

In the second game, the Bears jumped out to an early 2-0 lead as Pawlowski and Brown drove in runs to gain the early advantage. However, the Belles would get to sophomore pitcher Ashley Thayer in the third inning. With one out and a runner on base, St. Mary’s strung together three consecutive hits and later capitalized on a costly error to finish the inning with six runs. The Belles would put together another big rally in the fifth as they plated five runs on only two hits. Despite trailing 11-2, the Bears mounted a rally and scored five runs of their own in the bottom of the fifth. The St. Mary’s staff walked five straight batters and seven in the inning as Potsdam scored all five runs without the benefit of a hit. However the rally came up short and Thayer took the loss. Brown again paced the offense with two hits in three at bats and Molly McCuin went 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

“We did a lot of good things in the first game,” said Head Coach Shannon Dillabough. “We were aggressive on the bases, played solid defense, and Brittany threw the ball well. We struggled in the next game but I was proud of how we fought back and got back into the game.”

The Bears return to action tomorrow with two more games. Potsdam takes on Wisconsin Lutheran at 5 p.m. and Mount Saint Mary at 9 p.m. as their Florida trip continues.