Seniors and their families (photo by Travis Bernhard).
Fredonia State softball celebrated Senior Day by honoring five seniors before splitting a SUNYAC doubleheader with Potsdam on Saturday at Blue Devil Field. The Devils dropped the opener 3-1 before bouncing back with a 7-1 victory in game two to close the regular season. The Devils move to 17-21 overall and 11-7 in SUNYAC play
Game One:
Fredonia State grabbed the first lead of the afternoon in game one during the second inning. Brooke Caldwell ripped a double into left center before Mack Celauro followed with an RBI double down the left field line to put the Devils ahead 1-0. Potsdam answered in the fifth when Maddalyn Wasserman doubled and later scored on an error to tie the game. The Bears then took control in the sixth as Payton St. Clair launched a two-run homer to left center for the deciding runs in the 3-1 final.
The Bears limited Fredonia State to just two hits in the game. Kendall Phillips turned in another strong pitching performance despite the loss, striking out 11 batters over seven innings while allowing just four hits and two earned runs. Potsdam's Emily Birmingham earned the complete-game win after striking out seven and allowing one run on two hits.
Game Two:
In game two Potsdam scored an unearned run in the opening inning to grab a early 1-0 lead. Avery Hill tied the game in the second with a solo home run down the left field line, her sixth of the season. Fredonia State then broke things open with a three-run third inning. Kim Dorane delivered an RBI single to center to score Mia Eickhoff, Madison DeVore later crossed the plate on a wild pitch, and Kayla Lynn scored on an outfield error to extend the lead to 4-1.
The Devils continued to build on their lead in the fifth inning with three more runs. Avery Hill drove in Kayla Lynn with an RBI single before Chloe Whittingham followed with an RBI base hit that also allowed another run to score on an error while Brooke Caldwell later added an RBI single to center to make it 7-1. Hill finished the game with two hits and two RBI, while Lynn, Caldwell, and Mia Eickhoff each recorded two-hit performances as well. "I'm proud of how the players came together especially after a bad game or day," said head coach Tony Ciccarello. "This has been a fun season and it's not over yet."
Sabrina Edwards-Smith earned the complete-game victory for Fredonia State, allowing just four hits and one unearned run while striking out four. Potsdam's starter Chloe Kuttruff took the loss.
With the regular season complete, the Devils now turn their attention to the SUNYAC playoffs hosted at the No. 1 seed New Paltz from May 7-10. Fredonia State enters the tournament as the fourth seed and will face the fifth-seed Oneonta in the opening round.
