Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Clermont, FL — With one out, a runner at third and the game on the line in the bottom of the eighth inning Friday against Tufts University at Legends Field, State University of New York at New Paltz senior Taylor Leonette stepped up to the plate and felt confident she could get the job done.
 
The senior waited for her pitch, turned and knocked a base hit over the third-base side to score teammate Michaela Damore, capping off an extra-inning rally with her first walk-off of her Hawks career.
 
"We were playing pretty well and I had been hitting pretty well, so I was pretty confident that I was either going to get a hit up the middle or one-bouncer, so that I would get safe or something at first to score the run," Leonette said following the, 2-1, win. "That was awesome. I was really excited, obviously. It's awesome to beat a huge team like that. This was really good for us and we really needed it after this trip."
 
The victory was vital for SUNY New Paltz (6-8), which was barred with injuries that hampered its spring break trip down in Florida. But against a team like Tufts University, which had defeated No. 10 nationally ranked Wisconsin-Whitewater the day before, it was a much-needed win to end the week.
 
"To end Florida on a really positive note against a team like Tufts means a lot to us," said Hawks senior pitcher Lauren Cappello. "We struggled a lot this week and we finally [know] what it means to be a team, and what it means to have each other's back during this game. Hopefully we bring that over to conference play."
 
Cappello had a stout performance in the circle, and her defense backed her up, putting out their best defensive performance of the trip. In turn, Cappello tallied her third win of the season, throwing a full eight innings, allowing just nine hits, three walks and one earned run with one strikeout. 
 
"I had to adjust my strikeout zone and where I throw my pitches, because Tufts is an extremely good team," Cappello said. "So I had to throw more off the plate and hopefully they chase it, and just rely on my field to back me up behind my pitches."
 
Cappello and the Hawks got out of jams all day long, stranding 13 runners on the base paths.
 
Tufts (9-3) got on the board in the top of the third, but Cappello did well to limit the damage. After allowing a lead off single, Emma Della Volpe plated the runner in the following at-bat, but the threat stopped there. After Cappello got Jamie Stevens ground out into a fielder's choice, she forced a pop up and a liner to center and left field, respectively for the final two outs of the inning. 
 
"Lauren pitched a great game and when she is on, she is on," said Hawks coach Samantha Miller. "For a pitcher to go in today against a very good team the only thing you can concentrate on is your spots and making sure you are limiting the batters to pitches. She did a very good job of hitting her spots. She trusted her defense and that's all you can ask for from a pitcher and our defense was able to have her back, so it went a long way today."
 
SUNY New Paltz trailed for most of the game until Julia Perhacs got the rally started in the bottom of the seventh. The senior knocked a ball into deep left centerfield and the Tufts' left fielder couldn't corral the pop up. Perhacs took advantage, hustling around to second to put her team in scoring position with no outs.
 
In the following at-bat Miller subbed in Heather Ehman to pinch-hit. In the freshman's first collegiate at-bat, she laid down a perfect bunt to move Perhacs over to third and set the table for senior Danielle Bruno.
 
"From the very beginning I always say, it doesn't matter how much or little you play, it is in those moments that your number is called to do your job," Miller said. "Heather did an amazing job. She stayed in high spirits throughout the entire tournament and at the end of the day I can't congratulate her enough, because she needs to know how huge that bunt is in those situations against a very good team."
 
Bruno then delivered in the clutch, cranking a deep fly ball to right field to score Perhacs and tie the game at one, ultimately forcing extra-innings.
 
The Hawks defense came through again in the top of the eighth, holding the Jumbos scoreless.
 
With Damore placed on second, Julia DiSpigna led off the bottom of the inning for SUNY New Paltz and hit a dribbler toward second. DiSpigna hustled down the line, beating the throw and moving Damore to third with no outs.
 
Two batters later, Leonette walked into the batters box and knocked in the game-winning run to give the Hawks the come-back, 2-1 victory.
 
"I couldn't be any happier that it was a senior to start it and a senior to finish it," Miller said. "All the way through the line, our upper classmen stepped up and our underclassmen stepped up. I was just so excited for them to know that against a good team not only did they hang but they just beat a very good team. They should be proud of themselves and knowing that we're also very good when we show up, we just got to continue to do that back at home."
 
It was a bounce-back game for the Hawks, who earlier in the day fell to Wisconsin-Whitewater in five innings, 11-0.
 
The Warhawks (2-2) didn't waste any time getting on the board, as it got its first six batters on base before Alyssa Pfitscher — who got the start in the circle for SUNY New Paltz — registered the first out with a strikeout.
 
Wisconsin-Whitewater was aggressive around the bases early, and quickly took advantage of fielding errors in the first. Megan Schweitzer stole both second and third, scoring on an overthrow at third after no one was covering for the tag.  The Warhawks then tacked on eight more in the inning after a two RBI double by Michelle Birkholz and Vera Pflugradt, and a bases clearing double by Mallory Klotz to score three more.
 
"Our frustrations early in the tournament come from not being able to execute all these little things," Miller said. "[Against Tufts] when our defense shows up, I know what we're capable of and my frustrations with them come from not playing New Paltz Softball. Yes, we played a very good team, but I know we're capable of hanging with these teams. If we give up base hits that is one thing, but when we let those little dinkers and foul-balls, all those things that we should be taking care of, and don't execute and don't capitalize on those things then we're giving that great batter another at-bat."
 
Emily Fox relieved Pfitscher in the circle for the Hawks, and did well in 3.1 innings of work. She allowed five hits, two walks and three earned runs.
 
Shannon Fee registered SUNY New Paltz's only hit in the game, knocking a hard liner down the middle in the top of the fourth.
 
"Even though we struggled in our first game today I kept telling them, I hope you learn something when you play teams like that," Miller said. "When we make mistakes their runners aren't stopping. Their runners are running everything out… It is just capitalizing on mistakes and not giving up until the play is over."
 
The Hawks end their week at the PFX THE Spring Games 3-7, but won three of their last five games and hope to bring the momentum and confidence from Friday's final victory over to conference play next week against Buffalo State and Fredonia State on March 30 and 31.