PLATTSBURGH, N.Y.—The SUNY Potsdam softball team (8-6, 2-0 SUNYAC) swept a doubleheader from North Country rival Plattsburgh State (5-11, 0-2) for the first time ever. The Bears took game one 8-5 and rallied to defeat the Cardinals 6-5 in eight innings in game two. Potsdam is now 6-1 in its last seven games.
 
The Bears started quickly in the opener. Junior second baseman Kaylee Dobransky (New Britain, Conn./CREC Academy of Science and Innovation) and senior catcher Kelsey Bennett (Hammond, N.Y./Hammond) each scored from third on back-to-back throwing errors and Potsdam led 2-0 in the top of the first. The Bears added a run in the top of the second as junior shortstop Kiara Lovejoy (Lansing, N.Y./Lansing) tripled to right center, bringing in junior centerfielder Danielle Moscarello (Arlington, Vt./Mount Anthony Union).
 
The Bears extended their lead to 5-0 in the top of the third. Junior third baseman Kaylee LaForest (Cohoes, N.Y./Cohoes) tripled to right to bring in graduate student first baseman Anna Grottola (Ronkonkoma, N.Y./Connequot). She then scored on a wild pitch. Lovejoy knocked in a sixth run in the fourth with an infield single that scored freshman pinch runner Alivia Dean (Lake George, N.Y./Lake George). Consecutive ground outs in the top of the fifth from LaForest and Moscarello bought in Grottola and Bennett for an 8-0 advantage.
 
The Cardinals finally struck back with three in the bottom of the fifth. Second baseman Mikayla Manalo brought in the first run with a single up the middle. Catcher Gwen Noll followed with an RBI triple and pitcher/first baseman Julia Golino made it 8-3 with a double. Manolo drove in two more in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI double and Plattsburgh was within two.
 
After entering during the Cardinals' sixth inning rally, freshman pitcher Hannah Agans (Brasher Falls, N.Y./St. Lawrence Central) worked around a leadoff single to slam the door with a scoreless bottom of the seventh.
 
Junior Lexie Cottrill (Skaneateles, N.Y./Skaneateles) (3-3) earned the victory. She allowed four earned runs on seven hits and three walks in five innings. Agans allowed a run on two hits in the last two innings.
 
Grottola was 2-for-4 with two runs scored for the Bears. LaForest was 1-for-4 with a run and two RBI. Moscarello was 1-for-3 with a run and an RBI. Dobransky was 1-for-4 with a run. Cottrill was 2-for-2 and Bennett scored twice.
 
Manalo led the charge for the Cardinals, going 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run. Golino was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Golino (2-4) was tagged with the loss after allowing eight runs, five earned, on nine hits, while striking out four. Sarah Milyko pitched a perfect final 2.1 innings.
 
 
It was Plattsburgh grabbing an early lead in the finale. Golino put the Cards up 1-0 with an RBI double in the bottom of the first. Shortstop Claire Palmer drove in another run with an infield hit in the bottom of the second. Manalo then walked with the bases loaded to give Plattsburgh a 3-0 lead.
 
The Bears rallied in the top of the third. Freshman right fielder Sophia Pleat (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) singled up the middle, scoring both Dobransky and Lovejoy to close the gap to 3-2.
 
There was no more scoring until the top of the seventh. Bennett led off with a double to center. LaForest then tied the game with a bunt single. Senior pitcher Anna Brown (Ellenburg Depot, N.Y./Northern Adirondack) worked a perfect bottom of the seventh to send the contest to extra innings.
 
Lovejoy led off the top of the eighth with a single to right. Dobransky drove her in with a triple to left to give the Bears their first lead of the contest. Pleat followed with a walk and stole second. Grottola drove in Dobransky on a ground out that also moved Pleat to third. Bennett brought in Pleat on a fielder's choice and Potsdam led 6-3.
 
Plattsburgh got the lead off runner aboard in the bottom of the eighth before Brown got the next two outs on fielder's choices. After an infield hit, Manalo singled to left to make it 6-4. Noll then singled to right to make it a one run game. With the tying run at third, Brown got Golino to fly out to right to end the contest.
 
Brown (2-2) picked up her second win of the season in relief. She pitched the final five innings, allowing two runs on five hits. Graduate student Sierra Ashley (Ogdensburg, N.Y./Lisbon) started, allowing three runs, two earned, on five hits and striking out three.
 
Dobransky was 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Pleat was 1-for-3 with a run and two RBI. Bennett was 1-for-4 with a run and an RBI. LaForest went 2-for-4 with an RBI and Lovejoy was 1-for-2 with two runs.
 
Morgan Ormerod (2-3) allowed five runs on seven hits and struck out seven in just over seven innings pitched. Milyko allowed a run on a walk in the eighth.
 
Palmer was 4-for-5 with two runs and an RBI for Plattsburgh. Manalo was 1-for-4 with two runs. Noll was 1-for-3 with an RBI. Golino was 1-for-5 with an RBI. Third baseman Sara Isaacs was 1-for-3 and catcher Emma Deo was 2-for-4 with a run.
 
Due to a schedule change made necessary by weather, the Bears won't play again until they head to Buffalo State on Saturday. The doubleheader at Fredonia has been pushed to Sunday. The contests are scheduled for noon and 2 p.m. both days.