CANTON, N.Y.—The SUNY Potsdam softball team (9-11) split a doubleheader with St. Lawrence University (15-10) on Wednesday afternoon. The Bears took game one 3-2 and fell in the finale 8-3.
 
Potsdam scored three times in the bottom of the second in the opener. After a leadoff triple from senior catcher Kelsey Bennett (Hammond, N.Y./Hammond), the Bears got back-to-back bunt singles junior third baseman Kaylee LaForest (Cohoes, N.Y./Cohoes) and junior pitcher Lexie Cottrill (Skaneateles, N.Y./Skaneateles). On Cottrill's bunt the ball was thrown away, allowing Bennett and Cottrill to score. Two batters later graduate student left fielder Emily Beck (Lowville, N.Y./Beaver River) walked and rounded first, drawing a throw. Cottrill then raced home to score the eventual game-winning run.
 
The Saints rallied for two runs in the top of the third. With two outs, senior left fielder Meredith Rose (Endwell, N.Y./Maine-Endwell) drove in freshman second baseman Maeve Thompson (Burlington, Ontario/Hillfield Strathallan College) and junior shortstop Vivian Johnson (San Rafael, Calif./Terra Linda) to close the gap to 3-2.
 
Cottrill worked in and out of trouble and after allowing a one-out single in the top of the seventh and then retired the next two batters to seal the win.
 
Cottrill (4-5) scattered seven hits over seven innings, allowing two runs and striking out two. Bennett, LaForest and Cottrill were each 1-for-3 with a run scored.
 
Freshman Izzy Melanson (Norfolk, Mass./Mount St. Charles) (3-7) allowed three runs, one earned on four hits, while striking out three. Thompson was 1-for-3 with a run. Rose was 1-for-3 with two RBI. Senior designated player Zola Braswell (Portsmouth, N.H./New Hampton School) was 2-for-3.
 
SLU opened up a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on a two-run single from junior pitcher Sofia Berryhill (Pleasant Hill, Calif./College Park). Potsdam got one back in the bottom of the first. Junior second baseman Kaylee Dobransky (New Britain, Conn./CREC Academy of Science & Innovation) led off with triple. Freshman right fielder Sophia Pleat (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) drove her in with a perfect bunt that evaded the pitcher and first baseman.
 
In the bottom of the third, the Bears got even. Bennett reached on a one out single to left. She then stole second base. The throw hit her and went into the left field. She never slowed down, taking third and beating the throw to the plate.
 
The Saints scored three times in the top of the fourth. Rose doubled to dead centerfield, scoring two. Berryhill followed with a single to score Rose and put SLU up 5-2. A two-run single from Johnson the next inning extended the Saints lead to five.
 
Junior shortstop Kiara Lovejoy (Lansing, N.Y./Lansing) got a run back in the bottom of the fifth. She led off with a single and advanced to second on an error. Dobransky pushed her to third with a ground out and she charged home on a wild pitch. Berryhill answered for SLU in the top of the sixth with her fourth hit of the contest and fourth RBI. The run closed the scoring at 8-3.
 
Bears senior pitcher Anna Brown (Ellenburg Depot, N.Y./Northern Adirondack) (2-3) allowed five runs on 10 hits in four innings. Graduate student pitcher Sierra Ashley (Ogdensburg, N.Y./Lisbon) allowed three runs on four hits in an inning. Freshman Hannah Agans (Brasher Falls, N.Y./St. Lawrence Central) allowed just a hit and a walk in two scoreless innings.
 
Dobransky was 1-for-4 with a run. Pleat was 1-for-4 with an RBI. Bennett and Lovejoy each went 2-for-3 with a run.  
 
Berryhill (7-3) allowed two runs on five hits and struck out two in four innings. Sophomore Layne Fritz (Stafford, Va./Mountain View) allowed a run on three hits and struck out two in three innings.
 
Berryhill was a perfect 4-for-4 with four RBI from the plate. Johnson was 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBI. Rose was 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI. Freshman centerfielder Caelen Jahnle (Ashburnham, Mass./Lawrence Academy) was 2-for-3 with a run.

The Bears are back in action on Saturday, when they host SUNY Oneonta at noon and two. The doubleheader with SUNY New Paltz originally scheduled for Friday has been pushed to Sunday at noon and two.
 

Dr. Suzanne Smith, SUNY Potsdam President, throws out the first pitch before a doubleheader between Potsdam and SLU on 4/17/24.