Box Score
The College at Brockport Softball team avoided elimination in the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Tournament by defeating Geneseo in perhaps one of the most exciting games in SUNYAC playoff history. The Golden Eagles defeated the Knights 16-12 as the game saw six different lead changes throughout the game. Brockport advances to play tomorrow while the Knights are eliminated.
The two teams combined for 28 runs, 26 hits, eight errors, and 18 runners left on base in the eventful contest. The Golden Eagles put together a six-run sixth inning to rally from a two run deficit and steal the victory. The two teams used 18 players each, including three pitchers in the seven-inning game.
Jean Farrell (Rochester, NY/Penfield), who started the game but was relieved after one and one-third innings pitched, re-entered the game in the bottom of the fifth to earn the win.
Brockport, entering the game as the No. 5 seed, opened up the scoring in the top of the first with two runs.
Emily Dumas (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) started off her day with an RBI-double to score
Jenna Yates (West Seneca, NY/West Seneca East). Brockport loaded the bases and
Sarah Rosenbarker (Endicott, NY/Maine-Endwell) entered the game as the first pinch-runner of the day to score Dumas on a fielder's choice.
Brockport remained scoreless until the top of the fourth after Geneseo scored three in the second and one in the third to hold a 4-2 lead. With one out,
Caitlyn Rana (Ballston Lake, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) and Yates hit back-to-back singles and both scored on a fielding error hit by
Liz Hochman (Pittsford, NY/Pittsford-Mendon).
Amy Nowak (Warsaw, NY/Warsaw) then doubled to score Hochman and Dumas and take a 6-4 lead. Geneseo came right back in the bottom of the fourth to put up five runs of their own.
Brockport put together four runs in the very next half inning.
Julie Arnold (Fredonia, NY/Fredonia) gave Brockport a 10-9 lead to score Yates on a single through the left side. Yates finished the day with a career-high four runs. Just when it seemed as all the runs had dried up for the day, Geneseo came right back with three runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a commanding 12-10 lead.
Brockport saved their best performance of the day for the seventh and final inning of the game. On the brink of elimination, Brockport showed patience at the plate with a single and two walks to load the bases at the start of the inning. With one out,
Meghan Power (Amsterdam, NY/Amsterdam) reached on a fielder's choice but Hochman was able to score and all runners reached base safely.
Jessica Stahl (Brockport, NY/Aquinas) got her second hit of the day with a single to left, scoring Nowak to tie the game. Brockport took the lead for good on the very next at-bat as Rana hit a shot off the pitcher's glove and was barely beat at first, but Arnold was able to score for the 13-12 advantage. Dumas provided three insurance runs with a double to deep right field.
Farrell gave up a single in the seventh but that was it as she struck on the final batter on a called third strike on the inside corner to get the rare re-entry win. Farrell's line on the day finished at 4.1 innings pitched, four earned runs and six strikeouts. Dumas finished the day 3-5 with two runs and four RBI. Rana, Yates, Hochman, Arnold, and Stahl all finished the day with two hits while Power scored two runs and had one RBI.
The 16 runs scored are the second-most in the history of the SUNYAC Tournament. Brockport holds the top record after defeating New Paltz in 1987 21-3. The 28 runs between the two teams is the most combined runs in a SUNYAC playoff game.
Brockport will face the loser of the Plattsburgh Cardinals and Cortland Red Dragons who played immediately after Brockport and Geneseo. Brockport's first pitch is set for 11:00 am. The loser of the game will be eliminated while the winner will advance to the championship game at 1:30 pm. Plattsburgh defeated Brockport on day one 3-1 while Cortland defeated Oswego and Buffalo State.
