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FT. MYERS, Fla.- The SUNY Potsdam softball team split their doubleheader, falling to Richard Stockton 4-0 but then rebounded to defeat New Jersey City 3-2. The Bears are now 3-3 during their 10 game trip to Florida.
In the first game, the Bears outhit Richard Stockton 5-3 but couldn't bunch the hits together and were shut out. In her first start of the season, sophomore Megan Johnson took the loss but pitched strong. She went 4.1 innings and only allowed two hits and two earned runs while walking four and striking out two. The first run of the game was set up by a two-base error from Potsdam and the Ospreys (3-0) scored on a wild pitch to go ahead 1-0. Richard Stockton would tack on two more runs in the fifth on an RBI single from Joey Afflitto. Sophomore Ashley Thayer had two of the Bears five hits and seniorHeather Johnson roped a double but Potsdam failed to capitalize. Brittany Ksiezopolski threw a complete game and struck out four batters.
The effort was applauded by Potsdam Head Coach Shannon Dillabough.
"We played hard, but just couldn't get key base hits," said Dillabough. “Megan Johnson pitched well in a spot start. She
didn't know she was going to pitch today and Molly Zehler pitched well in relief. They kept us in the game and we played
them tough."
The Bears bounced back to defeat New Jersey City in the second game of the afternoon, 3-2. Thayer pitched solidly less than 24 hours after her no-hitter. She allowed six hits and one earned run while striking out 10 batters. Senior Brittany Pawlowski keyed the three-run rally in the top of the fourth with two RBI's as that was all the run support Thayer would need. New Jersey City tallied one more run in the bottom of the fifth but never could tie the game.
"The girls battled and Ashley had another good start,” said Dillabough. “She struggled a bit with her command but
struck out 10 batters. She also pitched out of a bases loaded no out jam. The girls were aggressive on the bases and
we got clutch hits."
The Bears are back in action tomorrow morning. Potsdam faces Curry College at 9 a.m. and then takes on St. Joseph's (N.Y.) at 11 a.m.
