CLERMONT, FLA.—New England College (3-5) held off the SUNY Potsdam softball team (3-5) for a 7-4 victory in the first game of the day on Wednesday morning. The Bears bounced back for a 6-3 win over Mount Ida College (2-6) in the finale.
 
Statistics from the New England College game will be posted as soon as they are received.
 
Against the Mustangs, junior shortstop Jordan Ott (Hilton, N.Y./Hilton) led off the game with a walk and came around to score on a single by senior captain Katie Marsman (Wantagh, N.Y./Wyoming Seminary). Sophomore pitcher Meghan Dougherty (East Greenbush, N.Y./Columbia) worked her way out of a two-out, runners at the corners jam in the bottom of the inning to keep Mount Ida off the board.
 
The Bears added two runs in the top of the second as senior captain Alexis Lerman (Fayetteville, N.Y./Jamesville-DeWitt) singled and eventually scored on a suicide squeeze executed perfectly by freshman centerfielder Brooke Falsion (Brockport, N.Y/Brockport). Dougherty, who had also reached via a single, scored on the next play as a result of a throwing error. The Bears led 3-0 after two and a half. Dougherty retired the side in order in the bottom of the inning.
 
Sophomore catcher Lauren Brace (Moriah, N.Y./Moriah) drove in sophomore left fielder Sami Hubinsky (South Glens Falls, N.Y./SUNY Adirondack) to make it 4-0 in the top of the third. Two batters later, junior pinch runner Noelle Rufa (Helena, N.Y./St. Lawrence Central) scored on an error by the third baseman. Dougherty pitched around a two-out bunt single in the bottom of the third to protect the five-run advantage.
 
Hubinsky made it 6-0 in the fourth with a one out RBI triple that scored senior designated hitter Carina Chirinko (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport). Dougherty put together one-two-three innings in the bottom of the fourth and fifth, but the defensive mistakes allowed the Mustangs to creep back in the game in the bottom of the sixth.
 
Mount Ida took advantage of two errors and two walks to start the sixth inning. Mustang first baseman Kelsey Weston walked with the bases loaded to force in Mount Ida's first run. Chirinko replaced Dougherty on the mound after the walk. Mustang third baseman Jenni Jackson followed with a sacrifice fly to close the gap to 6-2. Catcher Sam Laferriere kept the rally going with an RBI single before Chirinko struck out right fielder Victoria Russo to retire the side.
 
After the Bears were retired in order in the top of the seventh, Chirinko pitched out of another tough spot with runners at second and third and two outs to preserve the win.
 
 
Dougherty and Hubinsky each went 2-for-4 in the contest, while Ott, Marsman, Brace and Lerman also had hits.
 
Dougherty evened her record at 2-2 after not allowing an earned run on three hits and four walks in 5.1 innings pitched. Chirinko scattered three hits in the last 1.2 innings. Nicole Handzel (2-3) went the distance for the Mustangs, allowing three earned runs on eight hits and and three walks. She struck out 10.
 
Potsdam is back in action with two more games tomorrow. The Bears face Lancaster Bible College at 3 p.m. and Manhattanville College at 7 p.m.