Morrisville State softball earns split with Cazenovia

The Morrisville State College softball team battled to a double-header North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) split with rival Cazenovia, falling 6-1 in the first game before holding on for the 9-8 victory in the nightcap Wednesday afternoon in Morrisville.



Morrisville State improves to 10-14 overall, 5-11 in conference play. Cazenovia dropped to 8-18 overall, 7-5 in NEAC action.



In the first of the day, Cazenovia posted four runs in the top of the fourth inning and added two more in the fifth, while allowing just one Morrisville State score in the bottom of the fifth to capture the 6-1 victory. Alexandra Dickson led the Wildcats hitting 2-of-4 at the plate, posting two runs and an RBI, as Hilary Hext added two runs on a 1-for-2 plate appearance. Jenna Kraeger recorded the win on the mound, throwing seven innings and allowing seven hits and a run, while registering four strikeouts.



Kayla Walker (Oneida, N.Y.) and Aryel Lawson (Staten Island, N.Y.) each were 2-for-3 from the plate, as Gabby Gallart (Montgovery Village, Md.) went 1-for-3 with a run tallied for the Mustangs. Jenna D'Ercole (Highland, N.Y.) threw the first three innings for Morrisville State, striking out seven and allowing four hits, before being relieved by Maranda Owens (Brookfield, N.Y.) who finished the game, allowing five hits and six runs in the final four innings to record the loss.



In the nightcap, Morrisville State held a 4-3 advantage heading into the bottom of the fourth inning before rallying for four straight hits, including a double by Eileen Farrell (Johnsonville, N.Y.) that scored two of the innings three runs for the 7-3 Mustang lead.



Cazenovia battled back to within one the following inning, but Morrisville State added two additional runs in the bottom of the fifth and withstood a seventh inning rally by the Wildcats to collect the 9-8 win.



Dickson led Cazenovia from the plate, going 2-for-3 with two doubles, while posting four RBI's and scoring a run. Courtney Hibbard recorded the loss, throwing six innings and allowing 14 hits, nine runs (eight earned).



Nicole Duchene (Oneida, N.Y.), Farrell and Cassandra Smith (Lansing, N.Y.) each went 2-for-4 from the plate with two RBI's each to lead Morrisville State, while collectively scoring five runs for the Mustangs.



Paige Jerrett (Parish, N.Y.) recorded her first collegiate win on the mound, throwing seven innings and allowing five hits, eight runs (six earned) while posting a strike out.



Morrisville State returns to the field Friday, hosting SUNY IT at 2 p.m. in Morrisville.