Naples, Fla.: The SUNY Cobleskill softball team closed their 2023 road trip to the Sunshine State on Thursday at the 33^rd Annual Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic by dropping a pair of games to the Eagles of Saint Elizabeth University by a 9-4 margin before closing out the event with a hard fought 7-5 loss in eight innings to the Scarlett Raiders of Rutgers-Newark. With the losses the Fighting Tigers fall to 2-6 overall on the year.

In the opener, Cobleskill trailed 4-2 going into the seventh inning when three Fighting Tiger errors led to a five-run Eagle outburst and a 9-2 lead from which they never looked back despite a late rally in the bottom of the frame.

Offensively the middle of the Fighting Tiger order continued to be productive as junior first baseman Alexis Miranda, Nashua, N.H., Nashua North High School, was 3-for-4 with two runs, scored and an RBI, junior catcher Emily Lutz, Ellenville, N.Y., Ellenville High School, was 2-for-4 with a double and a pair of runs scored, sophomore second baseman Mackenzie Wendelkin, Stuyvesant, N.Y., Ichabod Crane High School, was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI and senior designated hitter Marissa Wheeler, Kinderhook, N.Y., Ichabod Crane High School, was 1-for-3 with an RBI.

The second game with the Scarlett Raiders was a classic pitchers' duel tied at the end of seven innings at 1-1 when the Fighting Tigers erupted for four runs in the top of the eighth highlighted by run scoring singles by centerfielder Emily Lutz, catcher Mackenzie Wendelken and first-year right fielder Andromaeda Schulz, Jefferson, N.Y., Jefferson Central High School, giving the Orange & Black a 5-1 advantage.

However, the Scarlett Raiders had an offensive outburst of their own in the bottom of the frame using a six-run effort highlighted by a two-out three-run triple by centerfielder Michelle McMillan to decide the issue.

Mackenzie Wendelken enjoyed a good outing at the plate going 4-for-5 with an RBI as did Emily Lutz who was 2-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI. Andromaeda Schulz also had a good day with the bat going 2-for-3 with a stolen base and two RBI.

Senior pitcher Marissa Wheeler was the hard-luck loser in the game going the distance with 10 strikeouts in the loss.

The Fighting Tigers are next scheduled to be in action on Thursday March 23 when they travel to Castleton, Vt for a non-league meeting with the Spartans of Castleton University beginning at 3:00 p.m.