Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Clermont, Florida —After a tough first day at the PFX THE Spring Games Tournament, the State University of New York at New Paltz softball team showed some resiliency Monday, playing against Bowdin College (Maine) and Calvin College (Michigan) in two tight contests at Legends Field.
 
Down three starters in their infield due to injury, the Hawks (3-5) bench stepped up and produced a solid outing to start Day 2, backed by some good pitching from Alyssa Pfitscher and Lauren Cappello. But, some fielding errors coupled by a lackluster day at the plate resulted in 3-1 and 1-0 losses, respectively.
 
"I do see improvements. It's really coming down to getting everything together in one game," said SUNY New Paltz coach Samantha Miller. "Honestly, when our bats are there our defense isn't and when our defense is there our bats aren't. Unfortunately, we are down three starters, but with the depth that we have these are things that we know how to execute… [It] comes down to making plays that we know we should be."
 
Against the Polar Bears (7-2), the Hawks battled against a tough arm in Allison Rutz, who went into the game with 10 strikeouts and a 1.70 ERA in three appearances. SUNY New Paltz stayed in a tight two-run contest for most of the day, and Pfitscher was a big part, going all six innings and allowing just seven hits in the game.
 
The Hawks got on the board first in the opening inning, starting the game with a single to the left side of the infield by Katie Conrad on a 2-2 count. A passed ball then moved her to third and two batters later Shannon Fee delivered with a sacrifice fly to left field to bring her in.
 
The Polar Bears (6-2) answered in the bottom of the inning. They got the day started with a single and two batters later hit her in on an RBI triple to right field. They plated the runner at third in the next at-bat, with a slow dribbler back to Pfitsher to make it 2-0. But, the Hawks ended the inning strong, as Pfitscher stranded two runners on a double-play ball hit to third.
 
Bowdin College added one more in the bottom of the third. Jordan Gowdy initially got on base with a lead-off single to right field and stole second in the next at-bat. She moved to third after Lauren O'Shea flied out to left and then came home after a passed ball on a high pitch.
 
However, again, SUNY New Paltz closed out the inning strong. Meagan Blair tallied the second out two batters later on a nice over the shoulder catch in foul territory and Pfitscher then stranded two runners on a ground out the following at-bat.
 
The Hawks had the opportunity to cut the score in the final inning, as Nicole DePola and Taylor Leonette both got on with two-out walks. Katie Conrad stepped up to the plate as the go-ahead runner and hit a solid liner to left, but the Polar Bears secured the catch and finalized the, 3-1, outcome.
 
"At first I did see a lot of positives and the positives that I did see even rolling from the first game was playing such a great team like Bowdin, and unfortunately losing, but I told them I was so happy the way we lost," Miller said. "It isn't easy to lose, but it's the way you lose and that game we lost by two runs against a very good team."
 
In the second game of the day, the Hawks took on the Knights (8-0), who went into the game already with three wins at Legends Field under their belt. They also put out a solid arm in the circle in Ellie Borst who extended her recorded to 4-0 on the season.
 
SUNY New Paltz struggled with Borst's change-up, as the Hawks registered a season high nine strikeouts in the game. But Cappello was just as sharp for SUNY New Paltz, putting out her best outing since recovering from an ankle injury.
 
The senior gave up eight hits and an earned run with four strikeouts in a full seven innings worth of work.
 
"I think Alyssa pitched a great game and Lauren did too," said Miller. "It was the first time Lauren has been healthy enough to pitch like she should and it is really unfortunate that our defense can't back her up. Offense aside, our defense has not been able to backup any one of our pitchers and it is just sad to see our team crumbling and going through the turmoil when it shouldn't be happening."
 
The game went scoreless until the top of the sixth inning, as the Knights' Abby Colon knocked a ball deep to left field for a double. Cappello got the next batter to ground out, but the runner moved to third on the play. The Hawks nearly put two away in the next at-bat, as Cappello got Katie Mumby for a seemingly routine pop up to first base, but miscommunication allowed the ball to drop right behind the first base bag, allowing Colon to score and Mumby safe at first to give Calvin the 1-0 lead.
 
"Our heads are in it at moments," said Miller. "But it is the moments that when it matters, like before when that one run scored, a ball dropped behind first base three feet, but it is people calling other people off when everybody is trying to be the hero. It is coming down to the little things that is losing us games and today, the second game really proved it."
 
Cappello didn't let the error deter her play, as she went right back to work and struck out the next batter before getting the final out on a fly out to Conrad in right field.
 
SUNY New Paltz had a chance to even up the score in the sixth and seventh innings, but left runners in scoring position in both opportunities. In the sixth, Conrad led off with a hard hit to short and beat out the throw to get on base. She then stole second in the following at-bat and moved to third following a fly out by Blair. But, the Hawks couldn't capitalize and grounded out on back-to-back at-bats to close out the side.
 
A rain delay paused the game deep in the seventh with Danielle Bruno at bat and Michaela Damore at second pinch running for Cappello following a two-out walk. After about a 15-minute break, play resumed with Bruno working a 2-2 count. The next pitch was called a ball, but on a full count swung on the next pitch high for the strikeout.
 
SUNY New Paltz totaled two hits — both by Fee — and two walks in the game, and overall registered six hits on the day.  Fee led the Hawks offensively, going 3-for-5 at the plate with an RBI, while Conrad followed with a hit, one run and a stolen base. 
 
"I think the second pitcher was very good. I think we should have gotten the bat on the ball on the first pitcher better, but we just didn't get situational hits and that is what it's going to come down to, somebody stepping up and putting the bat on the ball and getting the contact," Miller said. "Facing a good pitcher like that we're swinging at pitches that we shouldn't be, but we are also letting pitches go by that are right there. It is coming from the upperclassmen not being able to take on the leadership without those three starters."
 
SUNY New Paltz hopes to bounce back from a four-game losing skid Wednesday, as it takes on Washington and Jefferson College and St. Lawrence University at 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., respectively. Be sure to follow @nphawks on Twitter and @newpaltzhawks on Instagram and Facebook for updates, highlights, videos, photos and more.