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.