Inspiring

What is possibly one of the greatest displays of class and sportsmanship the game of collegiate-level softball has ever seen. Truly inspiring.

Dream Come True for PSU Assistant

Happy Holidays, PSUC supporters! Thanks for stopping by and checking in. Apologies for the recent lack of blog updates. With that being said, welcome aboard for our 2010-2011 campaign! There is much to be covered in the coming 'blogs, but first and foremost the changing state of the PSUC softball team's coaching staff must be addressed. Assistant Coach Jamie Prudhomme has been hired to the head coaching position for the Union College Dutchwomen.

Prudhomme, a first year assistant coach with the Cardinals during the 2009-2010 season was informed of her hiring at Union in mid-November and has tendered her resignation from Plattsburgh State. Primarily working with the outfield unit and coaching third base for Plattsburgh, Coach Prudhomme will have the privilege of heading up an entire softball program for the first time in her young career.

While Coach Prudhomme admits this a true dream come true for her, she will miss Plattsburgh. Her colleagues on the coaching staff as well as the returning players all share a close friendship with her and a deep respect for her both as a softball coach and as a person. In addition, she has many friends in PSUC coaches and assistant coaches of other athletic programs. Coach Prudhomme admits it will not be easy to leave these comfortable surroundings, but she is elated to have become a head coach and is ready and anxious to begin working and building a championship program at Union College.

Prudhomme will inherit and talented program with a rich history of success. Union College, a Division III institute, is the defending Liberty League Champion and is coming off their fourth consecutive ECAC Division III Upstate Championship. They are a program with yearly winning records that speak for themselves. With a win-loss record of 32-6 in 2008, 31-6 in 2009, and 32-8 in 2010, it's evident that this program knows how to win. Prudhomme hopes to take Union that next step further in the coming years -- qualifying for regionals and ultimately achieving a berth in the NCAA Division III Women's College Softball World Series. Coach Prudhomme's commitment to competitive excellence combined with Union College's talented and driven softball program bodes well for the Dutchwomen.

We will miss Coach Jamie Prudhomme just as much as she will miss us. The Plattsburgh Softball coaching staff and players thank her for her devotion and commitment to the program throughout her time as assistant coach. Her passion and enthusiasm for the game of softball make her an exemplary coach that truly does this great game justice. We know great things lie ahead for her both personally and as a coach. We look forward to seeing her once again when we take on Union College on April 2, 2011 at Cardinal Park. Until then, best of luck Coach Prudhomme! Once a cardinal, always a cardinal.

2010, A Season In Review

What a year. My apologies for the recent lack of blog updates, but a full SUNYAC season of road trips, a hectic weather pattern, constant re-schedulings, and travelling for playoffs did not leave much free time for the website. But back to the point at hand. The 2009-2010 PSUC Cardinals had a hell of a year.

We finished the season with an overall record of 25-16 (.610) and a SUNYAC record of 11-7, good for 2nd place. Splits seemed to be the theme of the regular season for us. It was a struggle to bring the same level of focus and intensity from Game 1 to Game 2. That was a critical flaw of the squad that plagued us throughout the regular season. We split almost the entire regular season. These splits included, in order, Potsdam, Union, St. Lawrence, Brockport, Geneseo, Oneonta, and New Paltz. In nearly all of these loses, we had chances to win or simply should have won.

However, the regular season also featured many high points for the team. We battled nationally ranked Ithaca College for 9 hard-fought innings in Clermont, Florida. Ithaca would go on to win the Northeast region and participate in the 2010 NCAA Division III Women's College World Series in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

We handed a very tough Union College team (the 2010 ECAC Champions) one of their only loses on their home field (Alexander Field in Schenectady, NY) in an 8-inning thriller. An Amy Woo solo HR to left-center in the top of the 8th sealed the deal for the 4-3 "upset" victory. Union would go 18-2 on their home field, losing only to us and the College of Staten Island.

For just the second time in program history, we swept our western road trip in Buffalo State and Fredonia. We took 2 in back-to-back days in Western New York.

We battled hard with nationally 6th ranked Cortland State in the final weekend of our regular season. It seemed as though we might shock the SUNYAC and the D-III world with a win in game 1 of the doubleheader. In a 0-0 pitcher's duel between Heather Loughran and the great Katie Finch, designated player Katie McNally was the first to crack the score with a solo bomb just over the left field fence. We took a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the 5th. We were 9 outs away from our biggest win of the year and what would have been the biggest win for the program since the '07 World Series. But it was not to be. Cortland was able to manufacture 3 earned runs in the bottom half of the 5th inning and would hold on to win by a score of 3-1. Hats off to the Red Dragons for gutting out the win, but we played great and it was our best game of the year to that point. It was a great morale boost and gave us confidence and a little swagger heading into the SUNYAC Tournament. Although it was a loss, it was a loss that we felt good about as a team and as a coaching staff. That game was huge for us confidence-wise. It was exactly what we needed heading into the post season. We knew we could play with Cortland, even on their home field where they are so tough to beat. Cortland finished the regular season a perfect 18-0.

After a couple of run-rule 5-inning and 6-inning wins over Oswego State on their Senior Day, we closed out the SUNYAC regular season with a record of 11-7. We had an identical record with Oneonta State, but due to SUNYAC tiebreaker rules, we were awarded the second seed heading into the SUNYAC Tournament at Dragon Field in Cortland, NY. In our opening round game, we squared off against the Golden Eagles of Brockport, the 5th seeded team. A slow start nearly cost us the game. In a double elimination tournament, the last thing we wanted to do was drop game 1. Having to fight out of the losers' bracket on day 1 is something we wanted to avoid at all costs. Brockport jumped ahead on us early. A Nikki Odrobina leadoff triple followed by an Ona Halladay RBI infield single gave them the early 1-0 lead in the top of the 1st. That score would hold until the top of the 6th when Brockport tacked on another run after 2 singles, a double steal, and an RBI groundout by Jenna Yates. We were down by a score of 2-0 in the bottom of the 7th. It was do-or-die time. Crunch time at its finest. Erin Florkiewicz, who was a warrior for us all year long behind the plate, lead off the inning with a frozen rope single to left. Eileen "Kara" Bergeron came off the bench to pinch run. With 1 out, DP Katie McNally came within inches of tying the game. She hit a bomb to left off the top of the fence for a double. Bergeron advanced to third. With 2 outs, Nikki Diemer had her best at-bat of the year. After battling, she came through with a game-tying 2-out 2 RBI single to left field, JUST over the glove of a leaping Ona Hallady. After holding the Golden Eagles at bay in the 8th and the 9th, we wanted to end it in the bottom of the 9th...we did just that. Rightfielder sophomore Dana Mandery doubled over center fielder Courtney Rana's head with 1 out. McNally singled her to left and runners were at the corners with 1 out for freshman third baseman Diana Garces. Her perfectly placed suicide squeeze won the game and sent us to the next round in the winners' bracket. She squeezed Mandery in with a bunt through the left side.

Our next round was against Oneonta State. After another slow start and a sloppy start, we were down by a score of 2-0 after the 1st inning. But from here, there was no looking back. A stern in-game speech from Coach Zweig seemed to bring life to the bats. We would score 7 of the next 9 runs in the game and win by a score of 7-4. The "Erins" -- Florkiewicz and Jamieson each homered in the 5th inning and provided the insurance needed to seal the win. Florkiewicz hit the go-ahead 2-run HR to left after Amy Woo reached on an error. Later in the inning, Jamieson hit an absolute bomb over the fence and past the bleachers in left field for a 3-run HR. The game was all but over at that point and we advanced to face Cortland State, the only other undefeated team in the tournament at that point. The winner advanced to the championship round and would only need 1 more win to claim the title.

The Cortland game was simply not us. We did not play well as a team and just did not rise to the occasion. We managed just 2 hits in the game and would fall to Cortland in 5 innings by a score of 8-0. Finch once again was masterful allowing 0 runs in 4 innings and tallying 8 K's with just 1 walk. 1st Team All-American and SUNYAC Player of the Year Donnalyn Cross hit a 2-run HR to right to cap the 8-run game. Cortland senior first baseman Emily "Rudy" Ringen continuted to be a Cardinal killer, going 3-3 with an RBI double and 1 run scored. Our two hits did not amount to any runs. Danielle Gjergji laced a leadoff double to left in the top of the 4th, but Finch struck out the side to end the threat. The loss sent Cortland to the championship round and sent us to the losers' bracket to take on Brockport once again for a spot in the championship round.

Once again it was a classic against Brockport. Extra innings were needed once more to decide the winner. Ashley Marshal dueled with Brockport's Kelly Briscoe for 8 innings under overcast skies in Cortland. The game was scoreless for the first 7 frames. Brockport nearly captured the game in the bottom of the 7th, however. Ona Halladay singled to center field to lead off the inning and was promptly pinch ran for. Kim Gabor popped up for the first out and Hollie Ary flew out deep to left. Danielle Sage worked a walk and pushed Pringle (pinch running for Halladay) into scoring position. One hit would end the game and end our season. But once again Ashley Marshall came up with the goods and was able to get us out of trouble by inducing an inning-ending groundout to Diana Garces at third. The top of the 8th was the difference maker. Here is where we made our stand and won the game. Katie McNally worked a one-out walk and Nicole "Pomps" Pomponio pinch ran and advanced to second on a Diana Garces groundout. Nikki Diemer again came up big and singled in Pomps on a hit to left field. She would advance to second on a fielding error by the left fielder. Erin Jamieson was up next and singled up the middle for an RBI to bring in Diemer with the insurance run. In the bottom of the 8th, Brockport would put their leadoff on base as Courtney Claflin singled to right field. But that was as far as she would get as Ashley Marshall struck out Boyle, induced a fly out from Nikki Odrobina, and ended the game with a groundout from Jenna Yates. Our biggest win of the year sent Brockport home and sent us to the championship round against Cortland! Redemption was on our minds.

The championsip game did not disappoint. What a game from both sides. A true pitchers duel from start to finish. Our freshman, our rock, Ashley Marshall kept us in the game the entire way by baffling the Cortland lineup from innings 1-6. One of the most potent offenses in the country was kept off the board until the top of the 7th inning. With the score at 0-0 entering the final inning, Cortland took control. Emily Ringen lead off the inning with a single to center field. She was pinch ran for. Ashley Napear made her finest play of the year by diving full extension to catch a popped up bunt attempt from Jess Harman. The runner stayed at first as Napear made an awesome play to keep the runner out of scoring position. Sophomore DP Kayla Lynch singled to right field after a long at-bat to move Smith (the pinch runner) to second base with 1 out. Here is where the game was decided. Outfielder Lorraine Stoddard singled through the right side of the infield to score Alicia Smith, who slid into home JUST head of the tag from Erin Florkiewicz after a solid throw from right fielder Dana Mandery. It was a bang-bang play, but Smith

was just safe. Marshall kept the score at 1-0 by striking out Fusco and Weidman with runners in scoring position. It was a fitting way for Marshall to end her season. The bottom of the seventh was our last gasp...and what drama it provided. Erin Jamieson lead off and worked a full count. On a 3-2 pitch she would pop out to the shortstop. With 1 out and no one on, and with Katie Finch working on a no-hitter, senior Danielle Gjergji came to the plate for the last at-bat of her college career. She went out on her terms by breaking up Finch's no-hitter and absolutely smoking a fastball off the top of the fence in right center. We were within inches of tying the game. Pomponio once again pinch ran. The table was set...but it was simply not to be. Finch was able to strike out the next two batters -- seniors Ashley Napear and Amy Woo-- to end the game. Cortland won the 2010 SUNYAC Championship and was awarded the automatic bid to the Northeast Regional at Kostrinsky Field in Ithaca, NY. A great game from start to finish. Nothing to hang our heads over. We went out on our own terms and were withing mere inches of tying the game and playing on. "No Regrets" was our theme of the season and it rang true. There were no regrets for this group of girls. A great year overall despite the loss. What a ride through the tournament and what a way to go out. Truly awesome. The coaching staff is incredibly proud and couldn't be more satisfied with how this team came to play when it mattered the most.
Hats off to our departing seniors. The Class of 2010 features Amy Woo, Danielle Gjergji, Ashley Napear, Nicole Pomponio, and Nicole McKee. Their presence, talent, and leadership will be missed, but never forgotten. One of the most influential and impactful recruiting classes ever to grace our field. We wish them nothing but the best as they depart Plattsburgh. A huge thank you to them from the coaching staff for all their contributions to the program over their 4 years!

With this great foundation having been laid, the returning players, current coaching staff, and incoming players look forward to what should be a strong effort in the 2010-2011 campaign. The senior class will consist of Nikki Diemer, Erin Jamieson, Corinne Gioia, and Eileen Bergeron. With their leadership, the return of some huge impact players with another year of experience under their belt, and a strong recruiting class on their way, there is every reason to believe that 2011 will be one of the most promising years in program history. The pieces will be there and it will be exciting to see what we can do with them.

Thanks for following us throughout the season. It was one we won't soon forget. Please continue to show support for our team as we enter our next season of Division III softball. Our quest for a 2011 SUNYAC Championship began just minutes after our last game in Cortland, NY and we're glad you're along for the ride. Fasten your seat belts because it's full speed ahead and no looking back until we holding that 2011 SUNYAC Championship Trophy. 2011, here we come! Plattsburgh State Softball--NO REGRETS.

4-1 Start to SUNYAC Season

The Cards softball squad is off to a good start in the SUNYAC Conference. As of today, the Cards hold a SUNYAC record of 4-1 and stand alone in 2nd place behind undefeated Cortland State. After dropping the SUNYAC opener to Potsdam, the Cards have won their last 4 SUNYAC games, sweeping doubleheaders @ Buffalo State and @ Fredonia.

Saturday, April 10, the Cards were in Buffalo to play the Bengals. Game 1 went in favor of Plattsburgh by a final score of 5-1. Freshman pitcher Ashley Marshall was masterful in the circle for the Cardinals, throwing a complete game 4-hit gem. She struck out 8 and allowed just one run in the bottom of the 7th on a sac fly. The offensive attack was led by senior first baseman Ashley Napear. Napear went 2-3 off Buffalo State's ace Jenna Frieling with a double and a towering homerun over the left field fence. Erin Jamieson also added two hits in the game and Amy Woo laced a double in knocked in 2 runs as the Cardinals rolled.

Game two was a bit more complicated for the Cards. We saw a 4 run lead erased in a matter of two innings and entered the top of the 7th inning down 7-5. However, the Cards were able to pull out the come-from-behind victory by scoring 4 runs in the inning and holding the lead in the bottom of the 7th. In the inning, Dana Mandery knocked a 2 RBI single up the middle to tie the game. The next batter Katie McNally layed down a squeeze bunt to score Erin Florkiewicz and Dana Mandery scored on a throwing error by the third baseman. Ashley Marshall was again crucial in the win, coming in for the final 2.2 innings and allowing 0 runs in earning her first save of the year.

The next day we travelled to Fredonia for a doubleheader against the Blue Devils. We took both games by final scores of 2-0 and 9-7. Marshall was dominant once again in Game 1, throwing a complete game shutout. Game two was more of a slugfest, but Heather Loughran was able to keep the Cards in the game long enough for Marshall to slam the door in the late innings.

The next scheduled games for the Cards are set for Friday, April 16 and Saturday, April 17 at home versus New Paltz and Oneonta. However, the weather forecast will likely push those games back a day or so. Stay tuned for updates.

Plattsburgh Softball 2010
"No Regrets."

Almost Regular Season Time

The PSUC Softball team returned to Plattsburgh with a record of 9-5. Our season is under way. For a whole week (March 13-March 20), we played a doubleheader each day as we took part in the NTC Dot Richardson Tournament in Clermont, Florida.

We got off to a great start in going 6-1 through our first seven games of the season. We posted wins over New England College (9-0 in 5 innings), Babson (2-0), Fairleigh Dickinson-Florham (1-0), and Western New England College (6-3) in the first two days of the tournament and went to 4-0. We suffered our first loss of the year to Westfield State in extra innings, 7-5. Tough loss for us. We carried a 1-run lead into the bottom of the 7th, but just weren't able to seal the deal. We rebounded in the second half of our doubleheader and beat Wesleyan by a score of 9-5.

For the rest of the trip we were a .500 team. We ended up going 4-4 through the final 8 games to bring us to 9-5 for the trip. We defeated Bethany College in extra innings 4-3, Frostburg State by a score of 6-3, Western Connecticut 9-0 in 5 innings, and D'Youville 8-1. Between each of those wins was a loss. We fell to Ithaca College in nine innings 12-5, Berry 5-2, Rhode Island College 2-0, and Keene State 3-1. We had chances to win in nearly all of our losses. Only once did we not play well as a team and that game was against RIC. We did not record a hit in the game and surrendered 2 unearned runs.

Overall it was a successful trip for our girls. We won 9 out of 14 games. We lost two games in extra innings. We had chances to win almost every game we played. Had a few breaks gone our way, we could have left Florida 11-3 or even 12-2. But we're a no excuses, no regrets team. We won't dwell on the past.

We start our SUNYAC schedule on Friday, April 2 at home against Potsdam. As is the case with all of our regular season SUNYAC games, it will be a double-header with the first game starting at 3:00pm. The following day we will be travelling to Union College to square off in another double-header. They will not be SUNYAC games, but will be just as important as they are regional games.

More updates to follow as more games are played. Stay tuned.

Plattsburgh Softball 2010
"No Regrets."

5 Days To Go!

NTC Softball Complex
Clermont, Florida

Awesome practice this afternoon for our girls. A 10:30AM start wrapped up at approximately 1:30PM. We scrimmaged today inter-squad on the turf. It was great to get outside of the Field House and play ball in the open air on such a beautiful day. Our starters and non-starters played each other competitively and there were a lot of positives to take out of the day.

The coaching staff is very excited so see the girls taking some strides in the right direction. It seems that we're really heating up at the right time as we approach our Spring Break trip to Clermont, Florida for the Dot Richardson Tournament. This team is ready.

The coaches are challenging the girls to really give their all for these final few days of practice before we board the plane for Florida. Today's practice was great, but we really want to bust our butts and make every coming day better than the day before as we head toward our departure on Friday.

We've had countless practices, we've dealt with adversity, we've seen injuries/illness and fatigue. We've been challenged and we've answered the call. Time will tell with regards to how it all comes together. And that time is coming. We are leaving in 5 days and starting our season in 6 days. We're less than one week from lacing up our cleats and taking the field against New England College. It's almost put up or shut up time. We're ready.


Plattsburgh Softball 2010
"No Regrets."

Picture, Practices, and Music

By the time noontime rolled around last Saturday, February 6, another week of practice was in the books for the Cards. For the second straight week the girls were asked to be ready for a 6:00AM practice the morning after completing 7:00PM practice the night before. Just to quickly recap, this past week of practice featured an inter-squad scrimmage, team conditioning, a poignant reading of an inspirational story, hitting stations, infield/outfield drills with Coach Roberts and Coach Prudhomme, and pitching and catching scenario and drill work with Coach Zweig.

New this year, the coaching staff has encouraged the players to research music of their choice that could, in any way, apply to the team and our goals. The response has been great. So far, the coaches and players alike have brought in music and lyrics. We've listened to the selected songs after practice and discussed how they relate to us as a whole. Listed below are links to the songs we've selected thus far. There will be more music selections as the weeks progress.
"Brick by Brick" by Train http://www.lala.com/#search/brick%20by%20brick%20train
"We are Golden" by Mika http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iQSoTEmgmo
"My Time" by Fabolous http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6X0Zhw_tbPo
"Use Somebody" by Kings of Leon http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRgFeZa_I48

Last Saturday morning Julia Hada, Assistant Sports Information Director at Plattsburgh State, swung by the fieldhouse to take the 2010 team picture as well as individual "head shots." The team picture is posted on our official website --
http://web.plattsburgh.edu/athletics/cardathletics/softball/

Check out the website to see our new team picture as well as our updated roster and 2010 schedule!

That's all we have for you this time. Check back soon for further updates! Thanks for checking in. As always, we appreciate your interest in the program.

There are 33 days until our season opener against New England College! Each day we practice and each day we progress as players and as a team we strengthen our resolve and become a better overall unit. Good teams become great through hard work and determination. We're certainly working hard and our determination has yet to come into question. We must continue to believe in ourselves and continue to learn and strengthen our game as we strive to reach greatness.

Plattsburgh Softball 2010
"No Regrets."