Article written by Patrick Smith, Sports Information Intern

MORRISVILLE, N.Y. – The Morrisville State College softball team wrapped up their regular season schedule Saturday, using a thrilling 4-3 extra innings win in game one to sweep SUNY Cobleskill in their final double-header of their North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) season.

The Mustangs finish their season with a 9-27 overall record, 5-15 conference record. SUNY Cobleskill moves to 2-24 overall, with a 2-16 record in conference.  

In the first game of today's action, Cobleskill opened the game up in the top of the third by scoring two runs off a Morrisville error by Amanda Labe (Friedensburg, Pa.).

The Mustangs would rally in the bottom of the fifth, when back to back singles by Labe and Elizabeth Miller (East Greenbush, N.Y.) put a runner in scoring position. Holly Gamlen (Cazenovia, N.Y.) would follow that up with a sacrifice fly that would score Labe to shrink the lead to 2-1.

Morrisville would tie the game in the bottom of the sixth, when Brianna Martin (Apopka, Fla.) got on base with a single and Keator (Roxbury, N.Y.) followed it up by cranking a two-out pinch hit double to the fence that scored Martin from first. Both teams threatened in the seventh inning, but neither team could register a run to send the game to extra innings.

Both teams took advantage of a runner automatically being placed at second, to push the lead to 3-3 in the eighth. With Paula Conklin (Sparrowbush, N.Y.) placed at second with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Gamlen stepped up and cranked a game winning single to left field that scored Paula Conklin.

Miller set the pace for the Mustangs on the day by going 3-5 at the plate. Martin and Gamlen each went 2-4 from the plate, with Martin scoring a run and Gamlen adding two RBI's.

Keator picked up the win on the mound for the Mustangs, giving up three runs off of two hits, and had three strikeouts.  Emily Anger picked up the loss for the Fighting Tigers, giving up four runs off of ten hits.

In between games, the Mustangs honored seniors Brianna Martin, Brittany Keator and Christine Valle (Syracuse, N.Y.) for their careers in the green and white.

In the second game of today's action, Morrisville struck first in the bottom of the second when Erika Kenney (Duanesburg, N.Y.) hit a triple to left field to score Bailey Dillabough (Massena, N.Y.) and later scored on a wild pitch to push the lead to 2-0. The Mustangs would double their lead in the bottom of the third, when Martin singled to score both Gamlen and Miller.

Morrisville would extend their lead to 6-0, when a bases loaded walk drawn by Gamlen and a sacrifice fly from Marr each pushed across one run. The Mustangs would finish out their scoring in the bottom of the fifth, when Labe crushed a triple that would score two more runs to push the lead to 8-0, which would hold up as the game ended in five innings.

Labe and Martin set the pace in this game for the Mustangs, each going 1-3 from the plate and adding two RBI's. Marr and Kenney each went 1-2 in the game, adding in one RBI. Gamlen contributed with going 1-1 from the plate and adding an RBI.

Keator picked up the win on the mound for the Mustangs, giving up no runs off of four hits, and had four strikeouts.  Sarah Munn picked up the loss for the Fighting Tigers, giving up eight runs on nine hits.

Morrisville State College's curricula are enriched with applied learning and pave the way for the opportunity at both the Morrisville and Norwich campuses. An action-oriented, interactive learning lab, the college is a national leader in technology and has been lauded for its exemplary, innovative and effective community service programs.

The college was ranked among the Best Regional Colleges in the North by U.S. News and World Report Best Colleges 2016 issue and was also recognized in the Top Public Schools, Regional Colleges North in the 2016 Best Colleges rankings. For more information about Morrisville State College, visit www.morrisville.edu.

#30#