POTSDAM, N.Y.—Junior pitcher Carina Chirinko (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport) drove in three runs and junior catcher Katie Marsman (Wantagh, N.Y./Wyoming Seminary) knocked in two as the SUNY Potsdam softball team (3-12) downed Clarkson University (10-3) 10-4 on Wednesday afternoon. The unexpected blizzard wiped out game two. Freshman pitcher Meghan Dougherty (East Greenbush, N.Y./Columbia) earned her first collegiate win after allowing just one run and striking out four in 4.2 innings.
 
The Bears jumped on the Golden Knights right out of the gate. Sophomore shortstop Jordan Ott (Hilton, N.Y./Hilton) led off with a single. Then an error on a sac bunt attempt by Chirinko allowed Ott to advance to third. Marsman drove in Ott with a sac fly and Potsdam led 1-0 after the top of the first.
 
A two-out Clarkson error in the top of the second allowed the Bears to add three more runs. Sophomore first baseman Erin Murphy (Kingston, N.Y./Kingston) launched a double to left after the first two hitters had been retired. An error by Golden Knight pitcher Katie Pelton allowed sophomore right fielder Noelle Rufa (Helena, N.Y./St. Lawrence Central) reach and Murphy to come around and score. Ott followed with an RBI double that scored Rufa. Chirinko capped the rally with an RBI single to make it 4-0 Potsdam after an inning and a half.
 
The floodgates opened with five Bears hits and two Golden Knights errors in the top of the third, allowing Potsdam to push across six more runs. Freshman designated hitter Lauren Brace (Moriah, N.Y./Moriah) led off with a double to left and then was pinch run for by senior Kayla Taylor (Keeseville, N.Y./AuSable Valley). Junior captain Alexis Lerman (Fayetteville, N.Y./Jamesville-DeWitt) reached on another Pelton error and Taylor scored to make it 5-0. Murphy drove in Lerman with a one-out single to center. Rufa did the same to score center fielder Lyndale Nephew (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Seton Catholic). With two down, Chirinko doubled to center to drive in both Murphy and Rufa and Marsman made it 10-0 with an RBI double to right field.
 
Clarkson finally got on the board in the bottom of the third. Left fielder Jamie Bridge tripled in two runs and second baseman Chelsea Elliot singled home Bridge to make it 10-3. Clarkson right fielder Jennifer Latham stole home in the bottom of the fourth, but Dougherty shut down the Golden Knights the rest of the way.
 
Chirinko started and got a no decision for Potsdam after going 2.1 innings and allowing four runs, three earned, while walking and striking out one.
 
Pelton (5-3) didn't allow an earned run despite going the distance and surrendering all 10 runs the Bears plated. She struck out seven and walked one.
 
Potsdam heads to New Paltz for two this Friday. The games are scheduled for 3 and 5 p.m.