POTSDAM, N.Y. – The SUNY Potsdam softball team (6-18) split its doubleheader versus St. Lawrence University (5-17) on Wednesday evening. The Bears posted a walk-off victory in the first contest 4-3 and the Saints narrowly escaped in the second game with a 6-4 victory.
 
Potsdam ended an 11-game losing streak to SLU in game one. However, the Saints got on the board almost immediately. Junior left fielder Meredith Rose (Endwell, N.Y./Maine-Endwell) drove in the first run with one out on a single down the left field line in the top of the first.
 
The Bears tied the game in the bottom of the third with a two out rally. Sophomore second baseman Kiara Lovejoy (Lansing, N.Y./Lansing) kept the inning going with a single to right and then scored on an error.
 
Potsdam then took the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Junior third baseman Rebecca Holmes (Lawtons, N.Y./North Collins) led off with a triple. Then junior catcher Kelsey Bennett (Hammond, N.Y./Hammond) hit a hard ground ball to Saints sophomore shortstop Vivian Johnson (San Rafael, Calif./Terra Linda High School). Johnson made a diving stop, but Holmes scored on Bennett's infield single.
 
The Bears added a third run in the bottom of the fifth. Senior left fielder Chesnie York (Corinth, N.Y./Corinth) led off with a single and then stole second. She moved to third on a single by sophomore shortstop Kaylee Dobransky (New Britain, Conn./CREC Acad. of Science & Innovation). Senior first baseman Anna Grottola (Ronkonkoma, N.Y./Connetquot) followed with an RBI on a sacrifice fly to score York and make it 3-1.
 
A two-out rally in the top of the sixth got the Saints within one. Sophomore first baseman Sophia Camilleri (Chester, N.H./Pinkerton Academy) singled to right and then junior third baseman Zola Braswell (Portsmouth, N.H./New Hampton School) knocked her in with a triple to make it 3-2. Bears sophomore pitcher Lexie Cottrill (Skaneateles, N.Y./Skaneateles) escaped the jam after inducing a ground out to retire SLU.
 
The Saints tied the game in the top of the seventh. Johnson hit a one-out triple to right and sophomore second baseman Stella VanGee (Webster, N.Y./Webster Thomas) brought her in on a ground out to first.
 
Potsdam took advantage of a leadoff walk to Grottola and an error on a bunt by Holmes that moved her to third. Grottola then scored the winning run as Saints senior centerfielder Tori Rotundo (Buford, Ga./Buford) dropped high flyball off the bat of sophomore centerfielder Danielle Moscarello (Arlington, Vt./Mount Anthony Union).
 
Cottrill (2-5) allowed three runs on eight hits and struck out two, while going the distance. Sophomore Sofia Berryhill (Bennington, Vt./Mount Anthony Union) (0-8) was the tough luck loser facing just two hitters, each reaching on errors, and allowing the winning run to score. Freshman Layne Fritz (Stafford, Va./Mountain View) started for the Saints, allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits in 3.2 innings. She struck out six. Freshman Olivia Caporale (Niskayuna, N.Y./Academy of the Holy Names) allowed two runs, one earned, on three hits, while striking out two in 2.1 innings.
 
Lovejoy was 3-for-4 with a run for the Bears. York was 2-for-4 with a run. Braswell was 2-for-2 with an RBI for the Saints and Johnson and Rose were each 2-for-4.
 
The Saints got their revenge in the second contest, earning a 6-4 victory. With Lovejoy on third base, Grottola hit an RBI triple to center field to plate the game's first run. As Grottola was arriving at third, the shortstop overthrew the third baseman, resulting in her scoring the run on the error. Potsdam led 2-0 going into the second.
 
With two runners in scoring position for the Saints, Rotundo drove in Camillieri on a base hit to left centerfield. Johnson then brought home freshman designated player Lauren Jesmain (Ballston Spa, N.Y./Ballston Spa High School) and Rotundo to take the one run lead in the top of the second. The Bears then answered with an RBI single to left field from junior pitcher Anna Brown (Ellenburg Depot, N.Y./Northern Adirondack), tying the game 3-3. After advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt, Brown then scored on a wild pitch which gave the Bears a 4-3 advantage after two innings.
 
The Bears held onto the one run lead for the next five innings until St. Lawrence scored three runs on three hits in the top of the seventh. Senior outfielder Cora Ferguson (Colorado Springs, Colo./Discovery Canyon Campus) plated Rose on a triple to right center. Ferguson then scored off an RBI double from Berryhill. On the following at-bat, Camillieri successfully stole second, allowing Berryhill to score on the throw. The Bears had one more chance in the bottom of the seventh but were unable to score as St. Lawrence captured the road win 6-4.
 
Brown allowed three runs, two of them earned, on two hits in two innings. York (3-6) pitched the remainder of the game for the Bears, allowing three runs, all earned, on six hits and fanning three batters. Caporale allowed four runs, all earned, on five hits for the Saints. Berryhill (1-8) went the rest of the way, allowing no runs on seven hits and striking out three to earn the win.
 
Brown went 2-3 with a run and an RBI. Holmes also went 2-3 while York and Dobransky each went 2-4. Grottola finished 2-4 with a run and an RBI for the Bears. Berryhill went 2-3 with a run and an RBI for St. Lawrence. Johnson finished 2-4 with two RBIs and Rotundo was 2-4 with a run and an RBI.
 
The Bears are back in action on Friday when they host SUNY Fredonia for a twin bill starting at 12 p.m.