Softball Wins Two; Barra Hits Walkoff Homerun

Fort Myers, FL – First year Samantha Barra hit a walk-off two run homer in the bottom of the ninth in the Hawks’ nightcap against Richard Stockton to defeat the Ospreys 9-7 and improve to 4-0 on the season. New Paltz won 5-0 against Macalester in the first game of the day. The Hawks will return to action on Tuesday March 17th when they play Bowdoin at 11am and Roger Williams at 1pm.

In the night cap, Barra finished 2-for-4 from the plate. Justine Scutaro went 3-for-4 with two runs and three RBI and Rose Dovi hit 3-for-4 with two RBI. Junior Erin Fitzpatrick was 2-4 with three runs scored and one RBI and Tori Kyle went 2-4. Devon Kelly earned her first collegiate win on the mound as she struck out seven batters in nine full innings. She allowed seven runs on nine hits with zero walks. New Paltz out hit Richard Stockton 12-9 as each team left eight runners on base.

Richard Stockton tallied their first run in the top of the third inning. With two outs and a runner on third, the Ospreys scored on a New Paltz error. They extended their lead to 5-0 with four runs on four hits in the top of the fifth.

In the bottom of the fifth, Fitzpatrick hit a solo homerun to center field. Dovi followed with a single up the middle and it appeared that the bats for the Hawks were getting hot but they would only tally one more hit in the inning.
The Hawks cut the lead to 5-4 as they scored three runs on four hits with one error in the bottom of the sixth to make things exciting. Scutaro hit a solo homerun to left field in the and Barra followed with a single up the middle. With two outs and Dale Cornelius on first, who reached on an error, Fitzpatrick doubled down the left field line. With runners on second and third and two outs with a full count Dovi came up big with a two-run RBI ground-rule double to cut the lead to one.

In the bottom of the seventh, Kyle singled up the middle, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Melyssa Cilmi and moved to third on a passed ball. Elizabeth May walked and Scutaro stepped up and hit an RBI ground-rule double to tie the game. With runners on third and second, the Ospreys intentionally walked Barra to load the bases. With two outs, Fitzpatrick hit down the left field line and Scutaro was called out at third to force the extra innings.

Richard Stockton scored one run on one hit with one error in the eighth inning for the 6-5 lead. New Paltz answered with a run of their own in the eighth. Fitzpatrick started at second and advanced to third on a single bunt by Dovi. Sophomore Jordan Paley drove in Fitzpatrick on a fielder’s choice play to tie the game.

In the ninth inning, Stockton took the 7-6 lead on an RBI single to center field forcing New Paltz to respond in the bottom of the inning. Cilmi was placed on second for the Hawks and advanced to third on a groundout by May. Scutaro reached on an error in left field and advanced to second, sending Cilmi home to tie the game and set the stage for Barra’s game winning homerun.

In game one, sophomore Courtney Costello earned the shutout on the mound in seven full innings. She allowed four hits with one walk and one strikeout for her second win of the season. Kyle went 3-3 from the plate with one run scored and a RBI. Scutaro also went 3-3 with one run and first year Jenna Curcio hit 2-3 with one run and an RBI. New Paltz out hit Macalester 11-4.

Macalester appeared as though they were going to take an early lead in the first inning as they had runners on second and third with one out. With the number four batter at the plate, May made a great catch at second, followed by the final out to end the inning with both runners left on base.

The Hawks tallied four runs on six hits in the top of the second inning. Curio got things started with a base hit over the shortstop, Paley followed with a hit to the same spot. Both runners advanced on a passed ball and the next pitch was wild sending Paley to third and Curcio home. Kyle hit a single and stole second and Cilmi drove Kyle home on an RBI double to left center. Scutaro hit a single to short right center to move Cilmi to first. With two outs Cornelius hit an RBI single for the fourth run of the inning.

In the seventh inning, with bases loaded and one out, Curcio hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Scutaro to complete the scoring.