Jefferson Softball Upsets Herkimer

The SUNY Jefferson Softball team hosted the Herkimer Generals in doubleheader on Sunday.  The Generals would take a 2-0 lead in the top of the 2nd inning via a 2 run HR by Maiya Reinhart off Cannoneer's starting pitcher Georgia Barton.  The Cannoneers would score an unearned run in the second inning and tie the game at 2 in the 3rd on an RBI single by Isabella Soluri which plated Leah Briones who had led off the inning with a double.  A single by Logan Kirchoff in the bottom of the 4th inning would give Jefferson a 3-2 lead.  Herkimer would take a 4-3 lead in the top of the 5th off Jefferson's relief pitcher Sarah Johnson, who had entered the game in the top of the 3rd inning.  The General's lead would swell to 6-3 as they scored 2 additional runs in the top of the 7th.  Bailey Zicari, Isabella Soluri, and Kaylee Johnson would each single to start the 7th inning for the Cannoneers and would all come around to score to knot the score at 7 and send the game to the 8th inning where each team begins with a runner on second base due to the international tie breaker rule.  Herkimer would score two runs in their half of the 8th inning to take an 8-6 lead, courtesy of a HR by Kayla Young.  In the Jefferson half of the 8th, Leah Briones would draw a one out walk, to put runners on first and second.  A Zicari ground out would move the runners to 2nd and 3rd.  Soluri would tie the game on a two strike double to right center.  Kaylee Johnson ran the count to 3 balls and 2 strikes, fouling off some very tough pitches from Herkimer reliever Hannah DeRock.  Johnson would send the next DeRock offering soaring over the right center field fence for a walk off 2 run HR giving the Cannoneers the hard fought 10-8 victory.  Soluri and Zicari each had 3 hits for the Cannoneers.

In game 2 the Cannoneers would open the scoring in the top of the 3rd inning scoring 3 runs on 4 base on balls and 2 singles.  The Generals would cut the lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the 4th.  Jefferson increased the lead to 8-1 in the 5th inning with a 5 run rally.  Three additional runs in the top of the 7th increased the Cannoneer's lead to 11-1.  Herkimer started their half of the 7th with a 4 straight hits off Jefferson starter Georgia Barton, including a long HR off the bat of Lexi Garrison.  Sarah Johnson entered the game in relief of Barton and record the final two outs to give the Cannoneers the 11-4 victory and the series split with Herkimer.  Izzy Soluri had 3 hits, with Riley Dowlearn and Sarah Johnson each providing 2 hits for Jefferson in the win.

The Cannoneers record improves to 12-10 and they next host SUNY Broome on Tuesday April 27 at 3:00 p.m.