POTSDAM, N.Y.— The SUNY Potsdam softball team (5-17, 2-4 SUNYAC) split in its conference doubleheader against Plattsburgh State (14-4, 5-1 SUNYAC) on Saturday afternoon.
 
In game one, Potsdam struck early to end an eight-game losing streak to the Cardinals. Junior third baseman Rebecca Holmes (Lawtons, N.Y./North Collins) doubled in sophomore shortstop Kaylee Dobransky (New Britain, Conn./CREC Academy of Science and Innovation) and senior left fielder Chesnie York (Corinth, N.Y./Corinth)  to make it 2-0 with two outs in the bottom of the first.
 
Plattsburgh rallied to tie the game in the top of the fourth. Senior catcher Rebecca Diller (Halfmoon, N.Y./Shenendehowa) hit an RBI double and then scored on an error.
 
The Bears regained the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth. Holmes knocked in Dobransky again, this time with a sacrifice bunt. Senior first baseman Anna Grottola (Ronkonkoma, N.Y./Connetquot) came home on a passed ball to make it 4-2.
 
The Cardinals nearly tied the game again in the top of the seventh. With two outs, right fielder Gwen Noll (Massapequa, N.Y./St. Anthony's) hit an RBI single to center, but sophomore second baseman Mikayla Manalo (Holtsville, N.Y./Sachem East) was gunned down by Potsdam junior centerfielder Hailey Bushaw (Philadelphia, N.Y./Indian River), while trying to advance to third.
 
Sophomore pitcher Lexie Cottrill (Skaneateles, N.Y./Skaneateles) (1-5) went the distance for Potsdam to earn her first collegiate win. She allowed three runs, two earned, on seven hits. Senior Kristina Maggiacomo (South Setauket, N.Y./Ward Melville) (5-3) allowed four runs, three earned, on five hits, while striking out six. Freshman Morgan Ormerod (Valatia, N.Y./Ichabod Crane) retired the one batter she faced.
 
Dobransky was 2-for-3 with two runs for the Bears and Holmes finished 1-for-2 with three RBI.
 
Senior third baseman Julia Golino (Mount Sinai, N.Y./Mount Sinai) was 2-for-3 with a run for Plattsburgh. Sophomore shortstop Claire Palmer (Suffern, N.Y./Suffern) went 2-for-4.
 
In game two, the Cardinals scored the first three runs in the opening inning. With bases loaded, Maggiacomo flew out to centerfield, bringing in sophomore Claire Palmer (Suffern, N.Y./ Suffern) on the sacrifice fly. In the same play, Manalo made it safely to third base before scoring on a throwing error. Later in the inning, senior Kelsey Waite (Winthrop, N.Y./St. Lawrence Central) plated senior Julia Golino (Mount Sinai, N.Y./Mount Sinai) on a groundout to shortstop. Plattsburgh leads Potsdam 3-0 after the first.
 
Potsdam struck in the third inning when Cottrill rounded home on a base hit to right centerfield by Dobransky. The Cardinals answered in the following inning when Palmer brought in junior Kaitlin Smith (New Windsor, N.Y./Washingtonville) on a groundout to second base. Plattsburgh maintains a 4-1 advantage through four.
After a scoreless fifth inning, the Bears scored four runs in the sixth to go-ahead of the Cardinals 5-4. Grottola got Potsdam started on offense when she batted in Dobransky on a base hit through the left side. With two runners in scoring position, sophomore outfielder Danielle Moscarello (Arlington, Vt./Mount Anthony Union) hit a grounder to the third baseman who overthrew first base, resulting in Grottola and sophomore third baseman Rebecca Holmes (Lawtons, N.Y./North Collins) reaching to score. In the next at-bat, junior pitcher Anna Brown (Ellenburg Depot, N.Y./Northern Adirondack) reached on another overthrown ball by the third baseman as Moscarello rounded and scored the Bears' fourth run of the inning.
 
Plattsburgh countered in the seventh inning with five runs of their own. With the bases loaded, junior outfielder Michelle Gonzales (Grass Valley, Calif./Nevada Union) hit an in-field grand slam to bring in four runs. With bases loaded again, Manalo hit a slow roller to third base which allowed freshman Kylie Persampire (Bellmore, N.Y./Wellington C. Mepham) enough time to get home on the play. With one more chance to win the ballgame, the Cardinals held off the Bears for a 9-5 conference victory.
 
 Brown allowed nine runs, four earned, on nine hits for the Bears while York came in to pitch the top of the seventh. Golino allowed five runs, two earned, on seven hits for the Cardinals. Ormerod came in to relieve Golino in the sixth inning, not allowing a run for the remainder of the game to earn the win.
 
Dobransky went 2-3 with a run and an RBI for Potsdam. Grottola complimented her teammate, finishing 2-4 with a run and RBI as well. Holmes went 2-4 with a run and Cottrill was 1-2 with a run.
 
Smith went a perfect 3-3 with a run while senior Danielle Torres (Altona, N.Y./Northern Adirondack) finished 2-3 with a run for Plattsburgh.
 
The Bears are back in action on Wednesday when they host the Saints of St. Lawrence University for a twin bill starting at 3 p.m.