Plattsburgh State softball had a rough week, losing four out of six games played. Sophomore infielder Bella Spadinger batted in six RBIs, which tied for second for the most RBIs in one game in the Cardinals’ history Friday against SUNY Oneonta.
PSUC played Oneonta in a doubleheader last Friday. The team split the games with the Red Dragons winning the first game 7-5, and the Cards winning the second game 10-3.
The first game was pitched by senior Jennifer Groat and freshman Ellianna Bowlen. Bowlen only allowed one hit in 2.2 innings pitched, while Groat earned the pitching loss of the game.
“I like relief pitching because I like being thrown into the tough situations,” Bowlen said. “I like helping my team get out of a jam.”
The Red Dragons scored six unanswered runs in the first two innings. Oneonta held onto its 6-0 lead over PSUC until the fourth inning, where Groat hit an RBI single that put the Cards on the board.
Junior Haleigh Agans added to the scoring by batting a two-run single to cut into Oneonta’s lead 6-3.
Then, in the bottom of the fourth, the Red Dragons scored their last run of the game. In the seventh, PSUC was able to score two points, but it was not enough to put them on top.
The second game went a lot smoother for the Cards with a final score of 10-3. Spadinger led her team to victory with six RBIs which is tied for second with the most RBIs in one game in PSUC’s program history.
Groat started off the batting in the first inning with a shot to center field scoring one RBI. Also in the third, Spadinger hit a double to right field bringing home two runs. The team’s batting average was not lacking between the two games with an average of .337.
In the top of the fourth, Spadinger sent a ball flying over the fence with the bases loaded, hitting the seventh ever grand slam in PSUC’s history. She brought in four runs, widening the gap between the two teams. The last grand slam was recorded in 2018 by Amanda Tantillo against the same team, SUNY Oneonta.
“It’s obviously awesome to be able to do that and especially help my team in any way I can,” Spadinger said about her grand slam.
The Cards played SUNY Cortland Monday, losing both game. The first game ended in the sixth inning, when Cortland enacted the run rule, leaving the final score 11-3.
Goat pitched 2.1 innings and Bowlen took over as the relief pitcher for 3.2 innings.
Cortland scored nine times in the first three innings, finishing the game with only 12 hits. In the fourth, PSUC gained three runs when junior Frannie Merkel hit an infield single plating one run. Followed by freshman Alex McKearin hitting a single to center field bringing senior Amy Glashoff home.
The second game ended with a score of 11-1 with another loss for the Cards. Freshmen Hannah Fuerst and Bowlen both pitched, with Furest earning the pitching loss allowing in seven runs.
In the sixth and seventh innings, the Blaze was on fire tallying seven runs between the two innings. PSUC had a hard time in the field when a drop fly ball led to two Cortland runners to make their way to home plate.
Tuesday, the Cards faced SUNY New Paltz with a split game double header. PSUC lost the first game scoring 6-4. Groat earned her 200th hit during the first game against the Hawks. In the fifth inning she hit a single to left field to gain her 200th hit.
“She has worked really hard her past four years at Plattsburgh,” Bowlen said about Groat’s 200th hit. “She can hit the ball like crazy.”
In the first game, SUNY New Paltz plated five runs in the first two innings. In the top of the second, junior Frannie Merkel hit her first home run scoring the first run for the Cards.
Spadinger and Glashoff both hit in two RBIs in the fifth inning to close the gap to 5-3. Then in the sixth, Groat plated Merkel, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Hawks momentum.
PSUC won its second game of the doubleheader with a tally of 9-3. Hannah Fuerst pitched the entire game only allowing three runs off from 10 hits accompanied by three walks.
“In the second game, they had 10 hits off from me, but our defense did very well keeping it together and making the plays,” Fuerst said.
McKearin, Merkel and Fuerst all earned doubles during the second game. In the sixth inning, the Cards pulled ahead with five runs making the score 6-2. After three more hits in the seventh inning, PSUC secured the win against the Hawks.
“Our game plan is to know that we need to win,” Bowlen said. “Our season is counting on it, but we aren’t going to focus on that. We are gonna focus on us, having fun and playing loose. The rest will just come.”
Today, the Cards are on the road to SUNY Geneseo the second seed in the SUNYAC ranking.
“We have to win games from now on,” Bowlen said. “Every game counts so it’s just everyone needs to be playing our best.”
Then tomorrow, the team is off to SUNY Brockport who is ranked ninth in the SUNYAC. Finally, PSUC will face SUNY Canton on the road Monday.
“We were really resilient and we showed a lot of heart,” said Spadinger. “If we are able to carry that with us we will do really well.”
