BUFFALO, N.Y.—The SUNY Potsdam Softball team (8-8, 1-3 SUNYAC) was swept in a doubleheader at Buffalo State (8-6, 3-1) on Saturday afternoon by 5-2 and 11-0 scores. Potsdam then returned to Fredonia and defeated the Blue Devils 1-0 in eight innings in a game that was suspended yesterday due to weather.

In game one against the Bengals, Potsdam sophomore pitcher Ashley Thayer and Buffalo State’s Maddie Coneyes matched each other through three scoreless innings. The Bears finally broke through in the top of the fourth. Senior Brittany Pawlowski doubled in sophomore Molly McCuin and junior Jenny Jones followed with an RBI single to give Potsdam a 2-0 lead. Thayer put up another zero in the bottom of the fourth and the Bears went in order in the top of the fifth. Over the next two innings, the Bengals took advantage of six Potsdam errors to score five unearned runs on just two hits. The Bears stranded two in the top of the seventh to fall 5-2.

Thayer fell to 5-2 with the complete game loss despite allowing no earned runs on four hits. She walked three and struck out two in six innings. Coneyes improved to 5-0 allowing just the two runs on four hits and striking out five in seven innings.

The Bears were held to just one hit and two baserunners in game two. Freshman forward Sami Brown led off the contest with a single. In the top of the third, freshman Carissa Cornwell reached on an error, but was erased when Brown lined into a double play. Buffalo State broke the contest open in the bottom of the third, scoring all 11 of its runs. The Bengals hit four homeruns in the inning, including two from Krystin Lekki, and a triple and a double. Only four of the runs were earned. The game ended after the Bears failed to cut into the lead in the top of the fifth.

Sophomore Megan Johnson (0-3) started on the mound for Potsdam, allowing three runs on five hits in 2.1 innings. Sophomore Molly Zehler allowed eight runs, only one earned, over the next inning and a third. Pawlowski retired the only hitter she faced in the bottom of the fourth.

Aleesha Williams improved to 3-3 for the Bengals with a five-inning shutout. She struck out one and walked none. Lekki finished 2-3 with five RBI’s and Shelly Maggard was 2-4 with four runs batted in.

Next, the Bears then headed back to Fredonia to wrap up a long day. Thayer continued to frustrate Blue Devils hitters for the final four innings as she has in the first four yesterday. Fredonia threatened in the fifth, but had one runner thrown out at the plate on a fielder’s choice and Thayer stranded another at third. The Blue Devils left another runner at third in the bottom of the sixth. With runners at second and third, Potsdam Head Coach Shannon Dillabough ordered an intentional walk to load the bases. Thayer then induced Lauren Larson to hit into an inning ending double play. After the Bears stranded two runners in the top of the seventh, Thayer retired Fredonia in order in the bottom to force extra innings. In the top of the eighth Pawlowski walked and McCuin singled. Cornwell then knocked home the eventual winning run with another single. Thayer allowed a hit in the bottom of the inning and then finished off the Blue Devils.

Thayer (6-2) finished with a five-hit shutout, striking out four and walking two. Danielle Shelp (2-1) was nearly as good, allowing the one run on seven hits with nine strikeouts and three walks.

The win was the Bears first over Fredonia since April 18, 2009.

Potsdam opens up a 14-game home stand on Tuesday, April 3, when they host St. Lawrence for a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m.