Hawks Collect Doubleheader Sweep Over MSMC

By Jake Carapella

NEWBURGH – Terrific performances on the mound from both Lindsay Roman and Jillian Harrison and a solo home run from Kelly Marmorowski galvanized the State University of New York at New Paltz softball team in their doubleheader at Mount Saint Mary College last Tuesday, as the Hawks won both contests 4-0 and 7-4, respectively.

Roman, pitching game one, went seven scoreless innings and gave up five hits with five strikeouts. Despite both teams managing five hits, SUNY New Paltz capitalized on a two-run first inning and two-run third inning. In game two, Harrison also went the distance and Marmorowski hit her big home run over the left field fence that sparked the win to complete the two-game sweep as the Hawks held on despite a three-run seventh inning from the Knights.

“In game one we were able to capitalize by playing some small ball and got a couple key hits as well,” said SUNY New Paltz coach Krysti Maronski. “In game two we did a better job of attacking pitches earlier in the count.

The top of the third inning opened with Jillian Shelbourne taking first base after being hit by a pitch. Campsey then bunted, advancing to second base on a throwing error to first.

With runners on second and third with no out, a groundout by Nicole Greco advanced Campsey to third and brought Shelbourne home to put SUNY New Paltz up 3-0. Another sacrifice, this time by Julia Mastrup, scored Campsey as the Hawks went to the bottom of the third up 4-0.

Roman, over the next three innings, struck out three batters, including putting the Knights away in order in the bottom of the fifth. Morris did her best to give her squad a chance to stay in the game though, as she got Isbella Shepherd to pop up and both Marmorowski and Rometo to fly out to end the sixth inning. However, Roman, after allowing a single to Olivia Ferara, struck out Samantha Bendig with a nice high fastball, and proceeded to get Jenna Cedeno and Riley Norwood to fly out and pop up. Morris also put away Quagliana, Graepel, and Mya DiRenzo in order in the seventh, but Roman stayed the course, getting Laura Dentato to fly out, Sofia Gannon to ground into a fielder’s choice with a runner on, and Melanie McGlinchey to pop up to second base to end the game.

Roman picked up her eighth win of the season in the victory, while she also pitched a full seven innings for the third time. For the home team in the opening contest, Ferara was their most successful player offensively, going 2-for-3.

In game two, Harrison also pitched a full seven, managing to fend off a scrappy Mount Saint Mary team that would not go away quietly to preserve the 7-4 SUNY New Paltz win.

The action picked up quickly for the Hawks in the top of the second inning with Marmorski’s big home run into left field to put the visitors on the board 1-0. Following her at-bat, Nicole Greco hit a double into left field. After Harrison grounded to first base and Greco advanced to third base, Bonewit brought in Greco with a sacrifice bunt to give SUNY New Paltz a two-run cushion. Next up, Rhionna Biachini hit into a fielder’s choice but was caught stealing to end the inning. In the bottom half, Harrison got Norwood and Gannon to ground out and struck out Rosner.

The Hawks continued where they left off in the top of the third, adding another run. To lead the inning off, Rometo doubled into left field, and advanced to third base when Quagliana grounded to second. A single into center field from Graepel made the score 3-0 for the visitors. SUNY New Paltz continued to produce runs in each of the next two innings.

After Nicole Rosner struck out Greco to lead off the fourth inning, Harrison singled into right field, for one of her two hits in the game. Bonewit advanced Harrison to third base on a ground out, and Bianchini was hit by Rosner to put runners on the corners. Rometo hit a clutch RBI single into left field, and the Hawks went into the bottom of the fourth leading 4-0.

Harrison retired Dentato, Cedeno, and Norwood in order, while SUNY New Paltz added more in the fifth. Graepel led off the inning with a single up the middle, and Campsey followed suit with a single into left field. Though Marmorowski grounded to second, Graepel advanced to third base, and Graepel came around to score on the very next play on an RBI groundout from Bianchini. Harrison added to the lead with a double into left center field that brought Mastrup, who came into pinch run for Marmorowski, to home plate, giving the Hawks a 6-0 advantage.

The Knights added a run in the bottom half of the inning when Sophia Reed hit a single into left field that brought Rosner around to score to cut the deficit to 6-1, but it would be the last Mount Saint Mary could muster offensively until the seventh inning, when they made the game really interesting.

Harrison tallied her second and final RBI of the game in the top of the seventh when she grounded out to first but brought in Mastrup, who, after Ashley Wulff struck out, tripled into left field. SUNY New Paltz went into the bottom of the seventh up 7-1, in control with an opportunity to close the contest out without much difficulty. The Knights, however, had different plans, doing all of their damage with two out.

Rometo was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI in the game, while Graepel was also 2-for-4 with an RBI in addition to Harrison’s 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Marmorowski’s home run was her first of the season, while Harrison on the mound improved her record to 8-6.

“We have to continue to hone in on things defensively and keep our focus in practices to prepare for our conference games this weekend,” said Maronski about the team’s approach going forward.