UAlbany Softball Splits Two Extra-Inning Games With Stony Brook

ALBANY, N.Y. – The University at Albany softball team’s rivalry with Stony Brook University lived up to its hype as the two split a doubleheader at Albany Field on Saturday, April 13. Over 21 innings of play, the two saw back-to-back extra-inning games which resulted in a 2-1 win for UAlbany followed by a 4-3 win for Stony Brook.

Game 1 took 13 innings to decide. UAlbany (21-10, 7-1 AE) was down 1-0 heading into the final frame before tying things up to cause extra innings. Eventually the Great Danes would win in walk-off fashion – six innings later.

The Seawolves were the first to get on the board with a solo home run by freshman Alexandra Pisciotta. The catcher led Stony Brook with four hits in seven at-bats. That would be the only run the Seawolves would score as the Great Danes held them off the board for the next 10 innings.

The theme of the game was runners left on base. The two combined to leave 31 stranded. UAlbany twice left runners on second and third, in the second and fourth inning.

It was not until UAlbany’s final at-bats that they finally plated a run. Freshman Annie Johnson beat out an infield hit, allowing sophomore Alexa Toole to round the bases and score the tying run. In the 13^th it was Johnson again who drove in junior Lauren Alcorn for the walk-off game-winning run. The speedster outfielder had a career-high four hits. She also stole two more bases for a conference high 24 on the season.

Junior Brittany MacFawn (12-5) went the distance for her 18^th complete game of the season. She threw a career-high 16 strikeouts, allowing 12 hits and just one run. She walked two. Sophomore Allison Cukrov took the loss for Stony Brook (22-16, 5-3 AE). She went 12.2 innings, allowing nine hits, two runs, eight walks and striking out six. MacFawn logged over 200 pitches in the win.

UAlbany suffered its first America East loss of the season in game 2 of the twin bill.

Despite a game-tying single from Alcorn in the bottom of the seventh inning that scored freshmen Maggie Cocks and Kelly Costello, the Seawolves responded with back-to-back solo home runs by junior Nicole Hagerty and sophomore Bria Green in the top of the eight. Sophomore Taylor Franich scored a run on a wild pitch from freshman Jane Sallen, but it was not enough as the Great Danes fell just short.

UAlbany collected eight hits in the second game, led by Cocks and Franich who had two each.Senior Kylie Apostolina, who caught all 13 innings in game one, had a base-hit in her only plate appearance.

Junior Emily Ostrom (8-4) pitched a complete game for UAlbany, her nine of the season.

Head Coach Chris Cannata said of the Danes’ 21 inning endeavor, “I’m proud of everyone’s effort today. Today showed a lot about the character and the kind of players we have on this team.”

UAlbany and Stony Brook will wrap up their three game series on Sunday, April 14^th, at noon, at Albany Field.