CORTLAND, N.Y.—SUNY Cortland (10-9, 3-1 SUNYAC) defeated the SUNY Potsdam softball team (3-11, 0-2) 6-3 and 9-1 on Monday afternoon in the Bears' SUNYAC opening series. Senior pitcher Samantha Hubinsky (Gansevoort, N.Y./South Glens Falls) was 3-for-5 with two RBI and senior captain Lauren Brace (Moriah, N.Y./Moriah) was 2-for-6 with a home run.
 
In game one, the Red Dragons grabbed a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first on an error and a single to left from centerfielder Kelly O'Gorman. Brace cut the lead in half in the top of the second with a shot over the left field fence. In the top of the third, Hubinsky tied the game with a single to right center that scored junior centerfielder Brooke Falsion (Brockport, N.Y./Brockport).
 
After Hubinsky kept Cortland off the board in the bottom of the inning, they struck in each of the next three. Catcher Alyssa Salisbury put the Red Dragons up for good with a sacrifice fly to left in the bottom of the fourth. O'Gorman hit a two-run homer in the fifth to make it 5-2 and shortstop Andrea Schoonmaker knocked in the sixth run with an infield hit in the sixth. Hubinsky got the Bears within 6-3 with a double to left center in the top of the seventh, but Potsdam couldn't get any closer.
 
Hubinsky (1-3) allowed six runs, three earned, on 10 hits. Joelle Salisbury (3-5) earned the win after giving up just two runs on five hits over the first four. She struck out three. Courtney Kane earned the save after allowing just an unearned run and striking out three over the last three innings.
 
Falsion finished 1-for-4 with two runs scored. Sophomore first baseman Megan Fish (Getzville, N.Y./Williamsville North) and freshman designated player Kayla Palmer (Chester, N.Y./Chester) also had a hit each.
 
 
Cortland struck quickly in game two as well, as designated player Hannah Feldman hit a three-run shot to center in the bottom of the first. Bears sophomore right fielder Lucy Condon (Kitchener, Ontario/St. David Catholic) countered with an RBI single to right in the top of the third to close the gap to 3-1. However, the Red Dragons put the game away with six runs in the bottom of the fourth. Feldman and O'Gorman hit back-to-back home runs and second baseman Tori Sharff added another solo homer two batters later to make it a 6-1 contest. Right fielder Taylor Felicello followed with a two-run double and first baseman Skyler Hoyt closed the scoring with a single to left.
 
Fish (0-2) allowed five runs on five hits in three innings, while striking out two. Junior Alissa McCauley (Malone, N.Y./Franklin Academy) allowed four runs on four hits and two walks in the fourth. Cortland's Sam Van Dorn (5-4) was the victor after allowing just one run on four hits and a walk, while striking out six.
 
Brace and Fish also singled during the contest for Potsdam.
 
The Bears are back action tomorrow afternoon at 3 p.m. when they host Clarkson University in their home opener. Tomorrow's contests are also Potsdam's annual Cancer Awareness games. Fans can continue to make donations to support assistant athletic trainer Alex Berking at https://www.gofundme.com/alex-berking and there will also be donation boxes at the field.