Cobleskill, N.Y.: With the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Championship Tournament fast approaching the SUNY Cobleskill softball team closed out their regular season on Saturday afternoon by splitting a pair of games versus the visiting Mustangs of SUNY Morrisville losing the opener 3-2 then closing out the day with a 12-4 victory. With the split, the Fighting Tigers end the regular season with an 19-14 overall record including a 11-3 mark in NAC play while the Mustangs close the campaign at 14-17 overall with a 10-5 record versus league opponents.
 
In the opener the Mustangs jumped out to a 3-0 lead after two innings by taking advantage of several Cobleskill defensive miscues then held on behind a stellar pitching effort from first-year starting pitcher Piper Kaylor, Montgomery, N.Y., John S. Burke High School, who limited Cobleskill to one earned run over seven innings striking out nine and walking no one.
 
Fighting Tiger junior starter Jaydaci Chamberlain, Northborough, Mass., Norfolk County Agricultural High School, was the hard luck loser despite only allowing two earned runs on seven hits in seven innings of work.
 
Junior catcher Mackenzie Wendelken, Stuyvesant, N.Y., Ichabod Crane High School, went 1-fo-3 with an RBI while senior third baseman Deanna Palmer, Auburn, N.Y., Auburn High School/Finger Lakes Community College, went 1-for-4 with an RBI.
 
In the nightcap the Cobleskill trailed 2-0 going into the bottom of the third inning hit the Mustangs with a four-run outburst to take the lead for good highlighted by a two-run homer off the bat of catcher Mackenzie Wendelken which made it 4-2.
 
The Fighting Tigers then put the contest out of reach in the bottom of the fifth inning with six runs with first-year second baseman Kylie Rattigan, Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Arlington High School, driving in a pair of runs with a two-run double followed by a run scoring triple from senior first baseman Alexis Miranda, Nashua, N.Y. Nashua High School.
 
Rattigan finished the day going 2-for-3 with a walk, a double, a run scored and three RBI with Alexis Miranda going 2-for-4 with a triple, a run scored and three RBI. First-year outfielder Jenna Smyczynski, East Aurora, N.Y., East Aurora High School, was also a factor in the win coming off the bench to go 3-for-3 with a pair of stolen bases, a double and two runs scored.
 
First-year hurler Madelynn Orosz, Seymour, Ct., Nonneaug High School, was the winner pitcher allowing three earned runs over six innings striking out three and walking only one to even her record at 7-7 on the year.
 
Cobleskill will now await the seedings and game schedule for the 2024 NAC Championship Tournament scheduled to be hosted by the NAC Eastern Division Champions from Thursday May 8 thru Saturday May 10 at a site as yet to be determined by the league.