Canton, N.Y.: The SUNY Cobleskill softball team closed out their weekend North Atlantic Conference (NAC) road trip to SUNY Canton on Sunday sweeping a league doubleheader from the host Kangaroos by scores of 7-3 and 8-5. With the sweep, the Fighting Tigers are now firmly positioned in first place in the conference's western division with a 9-13 overall including a 7-1 mark in league action while the Kangaroos are now 7-18 overall with a 3-4 league record.
In the opener Cobleskill jumped out an early 3-0 lead after the first inning then tallied four times in the fifth inning to extend their lead to 7-0 which provided senior starter
Victoria Decker, Stone Ridge, N.Y., Rondout Valley High School, with the cushion she needed to put down the Kangaroos holding them to three runs on six hits striking out five while walking only one to improve to 4-8 overall on the season.
Offensively senior center fielder
Jillian Nitchman, Ballston Spa, N.Y., Ballston Spa High School, did the bulk of the damage going 3-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and four RBI with help from senior second baseman
Aubrie Marx, Rotterdam, N.Y., Mohanasen High School, who went 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI in the win.
The second game started out much like the first game as Cobleskill jumped out to a 3-0 lead on the strength of a two-run homer off the bat of senior shortstop
Maya Davies, Binghamton, N.Y., Chenango Valley High School/Onondaga Community College, and extended it to 4-0 when center fielder
Jillian Nitchman took a fastball over the fence as part of a 2-for-3 effort at the plate with two runs scored and an RBI.
The visitor's lead grew to 8-0 before the Kangaroos mounted a late comeback that cut the deficit to 8-5 late before sophomore right hander
Marissa Wheeler, Kinderhook, N.Y., Icabod Crane High School, shut them down to improve to 5-4 overall on the season going the distance with a six-strikeout effort.
The Orange & Black also received strong efforts from junior third baseman
Emma Duarte, Dighton, Mass., Bristol County Agricultural High School, who went 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored and from sophomore catcher
Emily Lutz, Ellenville, N.Y., Ellenville High School, who went 1-for-3 with a double, a run scored and an RBI.
The Orange & Black will return to the road on Monday April 25 when they travel to Delhi, N.Y. for a pair of NAC games versus the Broncos of SUNY Delhi starting at 3:00 p.m.
