SCHENECTADY, NY -- Dani Hennel had three hits in the opener and
Aimee Palleschi homered and tripled to lead a comeback win in the nightcap as the Union College softball team swept SUNY Oneonta at Alexander Field Friday. The Dutchwomen (15-20) downed the Red Dragons (8-26), 6-3 in the first game and 4-3 in the second contest, scoring two in the bottom of the seventh for the victory.
Alyssa Wolejko won the opener with five innings of seven hit ball, allowing one earned run while striking out six for her seventh win of the season.
Allyson Staats had two of Union's 10 hits in the victory, and she came in and allowed just one hit in the last two innings for her first save. Chandler Campbell and Brianna Rivera had two hits each for the Red Dragons.
Union scored the first run on a
Joanna Chalifoux RBI single in the first and added two more with RBIs by Staats on a fielder's choice and Palleschi on a bases loaded walk. Oneonta made it a 3-2 game in the fifth featuring an RBI infield groundout by Cassandra Kohler. Union got the two runs back for a 5-2 lead in the bottom of that frame, as
Kristin Schmidt had an RBI double to left and Hennel notched her third hit of the day, a single to left center to score Schmidt. Nicole Marzillo led off the sixth with a homer to center, her fourth of the season. But Union got an RBI single by
Alyssa Wolejko in the bottom of the sixth for the eventual 6-3 final.
In game two, Oneonta took a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the sixth. Kohler singled home Campbell in the first, and a squeeze bunt by Rivera brought in Cambpell in the third inning. Rivera doubled with one out in the fifth and later scored on a Marzillo RBI single to right center. Oneonta pitcher Katie O'Flynn held the hosts to three hits through six innings. But in the bottom of the sixth, Palleschi led off the inning with a blast to left center, her fourth homer of the season. Two outs later, Chevalier singled,
Molly O'Brien followed with a single and Schmidt singled to right to make it a 3-2 game and O'Flynn got out of the inning with a fly out to right.
After Rivera led off the top of the seventh with a triple, Staats retired the next three batters. Starting pitcher (and later right fielder)
Sarah Logan led off the inning reaching on a hit by pitch, and after a fly out, Palleschi tipled down the right field line to bring in the tying run. Oneonta intentially walked the next two batters to load the bases and Chevalier worked a walk of her own to bring in Palleschi and the 4-3 triumph.
Staats won her fourth of the spring with 2 1/3 innings of two hit, shutout ball. Palleschi, Chevalier and Schmidt each had two hits. Campbell and Rivera had two hits each for the Red Dragons.
After this game, seniors Chevalier and Logan were honored and recognized. Union closes out the regular season Sunday at home with a 10 a.m. game vs. Ithaca and a 3 p.m. contest vs. Plattsburgh. Next Friday, Union plays at Rochester in the first round of the Liberty League Softball Tournament.
