POTSDAM, N.Y. – The SUNY Potsdam softball team (3-5) split with Clarkson University (3-1) on Thursday evening. The Golden Knights overcame the Bears 6-1 in game one, but Potsdam rallied late in the second game to defeat Clarkson 10-3.
 
In the first game, the Golden Knights opened the scoring in the bottom of the second with a home run from Devin Fitzpatrick. Several batters later, right fielder Isabel Haspil brought in the second run with an infield hit. First baseman Bridget Kerwin made it 3-0 an inning later with another infield single.
 
Clarkson broke the game open with three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Third baseman Elizabeth Greco singled up the middle, plating pinch runner Elissa Uveino to make it 4-0. On the following at-bat, shortstop Kaya Johnson grounded out to the shortstop as Kerwin slid into home to take a 5-0 lead. Second baseman Molly Pezzano then singled on a hard-hit ball to the pitcher, rounding Greco and scoring their sixth run of the contest. In the top of the sixth with runners in the corners, junior second baseman Kaylee Dobransky (New Britain, Conn./CREC Academy of Science and Innovation) stole home to give the Bears their first run of the game as the Golden Knights held off Potsdam to capture the 6-1 victory.
 
Junior Lexie Cottrill (1-3) (Skaneateles, N.Y./Skaneateles) allowed six runs, four earned, on 10 hits in six innings pitched. Dobransky was 1-3 with a run and Cottrill, graduate student first baseman Anna Grottola (Ronkonkoma, N.Y./Connetquot), and senior catcher Kelsey Bennett (Hammond, N.Y./Hammond) each finished 1-3.
 
Fitzpatrick (2-0) went the distance for the Golden Knights. She allowed one run, unearned, on four hits and tallied nine strikeouts. Greco was 2-3 with two runs and an RBI. Fitzpatrick and Kerwin had a run and an RBI. Pezzano finished 2-3 with an RBI.
 
In game two, Grottola got the Bears on the board in the first inning when she smashed a double to right center, plating Dobransky. Clarkson answered in the bottom of the first when Kerwin hit an RBI single to left center to tie the game 1-1. In the next at-bat, Greco drove in two more runs on a double to left center field as the Golden Knights took a 3-1 advantage.
 
It was all Bears from this point on. Junior third baseman Kaylee LaForest (Cohoes, N.Y./Cohoes) singled to right field, bringing home freshman pinch runner Alivia Dean (Lake George, N.Y./Lake George). Dobransky then knocked in graduate student left fielder Emily Beck (Lowville, N.Y./Lowville) with a triple to right field to tie it up at three runs apiece in the top of the sixth.
 
Potsdam caught fire with seven runs in the seventh inning. Junior center fielder Danielle Moscarello (Arlington, Vt./Mount Anthony Union) plated Bennett and pinch runner Karissa Donnelly (Ogdensburg, N.Y./Morristown) with a single up the middle to take their first lead of the game 5-3. Beck then singled through the left side, scoring junior designated player Rebecca Holmes (Lawtons, N.Y./North Collins). On the following at-bat, Moscarello came around to score on a groundout from junior shortstop Kiara Lovejoy (Lansing, N.Y./Lansing). Dobransky singled up the middle, scoring Beck for a second time to take a commanding 8-3 lead over the Golden Knights. LaForest worked a walk with bases loaded to bring home Dobransky and Bennett knocked in freshman right fielder Sophia Pleat (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) for the final run on a single to the pitcher.
 
Graduate student Sierra Ashley (Ogdensburg, N.Y./Lisbon) (1-1) earned her first career win for the Bears. She allowed three unearned runs on three hits and fanned a career-high seven batters. Dobransky went 3-5 with two runs and two RBIs to cap an impressive evening for the second baseman. Grottola complimented her teammate, going 2-3 with an RBI and two walks. Moscarello went 2-3 with two RBIs and a run and Beck also went 2-3 with two runs and an RBI. LaForest managed to go 2-4 with two RBIs as well.
 
Lily Corrice (1-1) went the distance for the Golden Knights. She allowed 10 earned runs on 16 hits. Kerwin went 1-2 with a run and an RBI. Greco went 1-2 with two RBIs and Haspil went 1-2 to round out the leaders for Clarkson.
 
The Bears are back in action next Monday when they travel to play a twinbill at Morrisville State starting at 3 p.m.