CANTON, N.Y.—Dominant pitching performances were the story as the SUNY Potsdam softball team (6-8) and St. Lawrence University (6-7) battled to a split on Friday afternoon. Sophomore Sami Hubinsky (South Glens Falls, N.Y./SUNY Adirondack) pitched the Bears to a 1-0 win with a four-hit shutout in game one. Allie Courtwright returned the favor with a two-hit shutout for the Saints in a 5-0 win in game two.

The first game of the contest was a good old fashioned pitchers' duel with Hubinsky and Saints hurler Emma Gailey matching zeroes over the first three innings. SLU threatened in the bottom of the second, loading the bases with two outs on two hits and a walk. However, Hubinsky got Saints third baseman Kylee Knight to fly out to centerfield. After both teams went in order in the third, the Potsdam broke through in the top of the fourth. Hubinsky started things off with a one-out single to left. Sophomore designated hitter Lauren Brace (Moriah, N.Y./Moriah) followed with a double to left to score Hubinsky for the contest's decisive run. It was all pitching and defense for the remainder of the game. The Saints had runners at first and second with one out in the bottom of the fifth, but Hubinsky worked out of the jam. SLU got the tying run aboard with a two-out walk in the bottom of the seventh, but Hubinsky got shortstop Mylea Mann to ground to short to end the game.

Hubinsky (2-3) and Gailey (3-1) each went the distance, allowing just four hits apiece. Hubinsky struck out one and walked five, while Gailey fanned eight without a base-on-balls.

Brace finished the contest 2-for-3. Hubinsky and senior leftfielder Carina Chrininko (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport) had the other two hits for Potsdam.

The Saints had better luck right off the bat in the finale. Mann drove in two runs with a one-out single in the bottom of the first. However, Bears freshman pitcher Alissa McCauley (Malone, N.Y./Franklin Academy) minimized the damage with a strike out and a fielder's choice to retire the side. Courtwright was in control for SLU, not allowing a Potsdam hit until senior right fielder Lyndale Nephew (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Seton Catholic) singled in the top of the fifth. McCauley settled in after the first and allowed just one more run over the next three and third innings pitched. Sophomore Meghan Dougherty (East Greenbush, N.Y./Columbia) relieved McCauley in the bottom of the fifth. Courtwright knocked in the Saints' third run with a two-out single to left before Dougherty ended the inning by getting pinch hitter Emma Reakes to pop up.

The Bears threatened in the top of the sixth. Hubinsky and Brace each reached on errors and senior captain Katie Marsman (Wantagh, N.Y./Wyoming Seminary) singled to load the bases with no outs. However, Courtwright recovered to retire the next three hitters in order and escape with the shutout intact. SLU countered with two runs on an error and an RBI single by leftfielder Laura Finley in the bottom of the inning. Courtwright then got Potsdam in order in the top of the seventh to complete her two-hitter.

Courtwright (2-6) earned her second win of the season, striking out four and walking two. McCauley fell to 1-2 after allowing three earned runs on seven hits and a walk in 4.1 innings. She struck out three. Dougherty allowed two runs on four hits in the final 1.2 innings.

The Bears are back in action when they host Clarkson University for a doubleheader tomorrow beginning at noon.