FORT MYERS, FLA.—The SUNY Potsdam softball team (3-5) fell to Crown College (9-3) and Westfield State University (4-0) on the team's final day in Florida. The Polars edged the Bears 3-2 and the Owls topped them 7-2.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED (CROWN)

• Crown took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a sacrifice fly off the bat of first baseman Maria Lilienthal.
• Freshman second baseman Chloe Kuttruff (Marcellus, N.Y./Marcellus) scored on an error in the top of the fourth to tie the game.
• Lilienthal knocked in two more in the bottom of the fifth with a single, making it 3-1.
• Junior pitcher Emily Birmingham (Pulaski, N.Y./Pulaski) drove in freshman center fielder Payton St. Clair (Brewerton, N.Y./Paul V. Moore) in the top of the seventh to get Potsdam within one. The Bears had the tying run at second, but the Polars held on.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS (CROWN)

• Birmingham (2-2) allowed three runs on six hits and three walks while striking out two. She also went 2-for-3 from the plate with an RBI.
• Sophomore Sam Horne (Buffalo, N.Y./Kenmore West) pitched a perfect sixth for the Bears.
• Brooklyn Riley (5-0) went the distance for Crown, allowing two runs on five hits with six strikeouts.
• Kuttruff, St. Clair and freshman first baseman Kaidence Cronin (Onondaga Nation/LaFayette) were each 1-for-3.
• Polars second baseman Emmy Romportl was 1-for-2 with two runs. Center fielder Sophie Monson and Lilienthal were each 2-for-2.

 

HOW IT HAPPENED (WESTFIELD)

• The Owls scored twice in the top of the first on a wild pitch and a home run by first baseman Mia Alfonso.
• Junior left fielder Sophia Pleat (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) drove in senior shortstop Alexys Rosick (Hudson Falls, N.Y./Hudson Falls) with a ground out in the bottom of the first to make it 2-1.
• Alfonso doubled in another run in the top of the third.
• Alfonso drove in two more with a single in the top of the fifth to make it 5-1.
• Shortstop Sarah Hough doubled in Westfield's sixth run in the top of the sixth. Alfonso the drove in her fifth of the contest with a single in the same inning to make it 7-1.
• Cronin drove in freshman pinch runner Courtney LaBaff (Ballston Spa, N.Y./Ballston Spa) in the bottom of the sixth to close the scoring at 7-2.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS (WESTFIELD)

• Horne (0-3) allowed five runs on eight hits in the first four innings. Birmingham allowed two runs on three hits and two walks with two strikeouts in two innings. Kuttruff walked one and struck out one in the seventh inning.
•  Shayna Bakun (1-0) picked up the win with two perfect middle relief innings. Lyla Dwyer started for the Owls, allowing a run on two hits and a walk and striking out two. Isabella Schaeffer picked up her first save after allowing a run on three hits in the last three innings. She struck out four.
• Rosick was 2-for-3 with a run. Pleat and Cronin were each 1-for-3 with an RBI.
• Alfonso was 4-for-4 with five RBI and a run. Hough finished 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Designated player Hannah Wodecki was 3-for-4 with three runs.

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Bears are back in action with a March 27 doubleheader at Skidmore College beginning at 2 p.m.