POTSDAM, N.Y.— The SUNY Potsdam softball team (5-5) swept SUNY Cobleskill (4-8) on a crisp, sunny Saturday afternoon at the Maxcy Softball Field. The Bears shutout the Fighting Tigers in both games 8-0 in five innings to claim their third consecutive victory. 
 
Potsdam jumped on the Fighting Tigers early in the opener. Junior third baseman Kaylee LaForest (Cohoes, N.Y./Cohoes) drove in junior second baseman Kaylee Dobransky (New Britain, Conn./CREC Academy of Science and Innovation) with a single to left to open the scoring in the bottom of the first. Junior centerfielder Danielle Moscarello (Arlington, Vt./Mount Anthony Union) followed with a base hit to center to plate LaForest.
 
The Bears broke it open in the second with six runs on six hits. Dobransky knocked in graduate student left fielder Emily Beck (Lowville, N.Y./Beaver River) with a sacrifice fly. Graduate student first baseman Anna Grottola (Ronkonkoma, N.Y./Connetquot) did the same to score junior shortstop Kiara Lovejoy (Lansing, N.Y./Lansing). LaForest added another RBI single to bring in freshman right fielder Sophia Pleat (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa). As in the previous inning, Moscarello brought around LaForest with a single. Junior pitcher Lexie Cottrill (Skaneateles, N.Y./Skaneateles) then made it 8-0 with a double down the left field line to bring in Moscarello and senior catcher Kelsey Bennett (Hammond, N.Y./Hammond) .
 
LaForest was 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs. Moscarello was 2-for-2 with two RBI and a run and Bennett was 2-for-3 with two runs.
 
Cottrill (2-3) scattered three hits with one walk and one strikeout to earn her first career shutout.
 
Junior shortstop Kailee DiGiacco (Spencerport, N.Y./Spencerport) was 2-for-2 for Cobleskill. Sophomore pitcher Kimberly Olsen (Schoharie, N.Y./Schoharie) allowed eight runs on 10 hits in the first 1.2 innings. Freshman Madelynn Orosz (Seymour, Conn./Nonnewaug) didn't allow a hit in the last 2.1 innings.
 
After a scoreless first inning to start game two, the Bears recorded five runs in the second inning to catapult themselves ahead of the Fighting Tigers. Lovejoy plated junior designated player Rebecca Holmes (Lawtons, N.Y./North Collins) to get Potsdam on the board. Back at the top of the order, Dobransky tripled to center field, bringing home Lovejoy and Beck on the play. Pleat then knocked in Dobransky with a double to left center. Grottola answered with a double of her own, this time to left center to secure Pleat's run and extend Potsdam's lead 5-0.
 
In the bottom of the third, Bennett rounded home on a single to right field from Moscarello. In the fifth and final inning, with the bases loaded, Lovejoy grounded out to second base, scoring Moscarello. Dobransky then reached on a dropped fly ball by the right fielder, allowing Holmes to sneak in and seal the 8-0 victory for the Bears.
 
Moscarello was a perfect 3-for-3 with an RBI and run. Grottola was 2-for-3 with an RBI and Pleat was 1-for-2 with an RBI, run, and a walk. Dobransky also totaled three RBI to round out an impressive showing for Potsdam.
 
Graduate student pitcher Sierra Ashley (Ogdensburg, N.Y./Lisbon) (2-1) earned her first career shutout today. She allowed three hits, a walk, and recorded two strikeouts for the Bears.
 
Freshman second baseman Kylie Rattigan (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Arlington), freshman catcher Gianna Guido (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa), and junior designated player Mackenzie Wendelken (Stuyvesant, N.Y./Ichabod Crane) each went 1-for-2. Orosz (2-2) allowed eight runs, seven earned, on 11 hits in 4.1 innings for Cobleskill.
 
The Bears are back in action on Tuesday when they host Clarkson University for round two of the cross-town rivalry starting at 3 p.m.