DELHI – The much-delayed 2014 softball season finally began on Sunday afternoon on the SUNY Delhi softball field. The Lady Raiders took a 3-1 lead into the sixth inning of the first game, but the Lady Broncos plated three runs in the bottom of the sixth and gained a 4-3 victory.
The game was a solid season-starter for the FM Nine. Freshman Alyssa Palmateer was outstanding. The tall freshman pitched a two-hitter and struck out four.
Photo: Third baseman Cori Manson and pitcher Alyssa Palmateer
SUNY Delhi's softball facility is among the best in the region, but it was still in rough shape due to the long-lasting winter weather. Regardless, both teams appeared eager to play, and Sunday's weather was good, with mid-50s temps, abundant sunshine, and a mild breeze.
Game One
The Lady Broncos scored a run in the second inning. FM scored their first two runs in the third. Center fielder Ally Ostrander led off the inning by lining a nice single to left field. Catcher Alix Leo walked. Shortstop Stephanie Rice hit a hard grounder to short that was played to third for a force out of Ostrander. Pitcher Palmateer scorched a double down the left field line, scoring Leo. Cori Manson then stroked a productive out that went second-to-first and scored Rice. FM led 2-1.
Photo: Alix Leo lines a single to right in the fifth inning
The Raiders added to their lead in the fifth. Leo lined a single to right field. Rice followed with a double to deep center, scoring Leo. FM led 3-1.
Photo: Stephanie Rice doubles to deep center field
Meanwhile, Palmateer and sound FM defensive play kept the Broncos from scoring again. The Lady Raiders took their two-run lead into the bottom of the sixth.
Photo: Ally Ostrander slides safely into third base in Game Two action
The home team took the lead in their half of the sixth. The Lady Broncos took advantage of two walks and hit two singles to score three runs. Delhi went ahead 4-3.
FM's Ostrander opened the seventh with a walk, and FM catcher Alix Leo hit the ball hard, but to no avail. The Broncos turned Leo's hard grounder into a perfect 6-4-3 double play to empty the bases.
FMCC 002 010 0 3-6-0
Delhi 010 003 x 4-2-1
Palmateer and Leo; Forkey and Namer
2B: FM – Rice 2, Palmateer; Delhi – none
Game Two
The Delhi bats came alive, and the Broncos scored seven runs against FM starter Kelsey Taber and an FM defense that made too many errors. Meanwhile, Delhi's freshman pitcher Jenny Neuner baffled FM's batters, holding them to two hits.
Photo: Second baseman Brittany Keator slipped on the wet infield but still managed to throw to first for the out
Delhi scored three more runs in the fourth, then Tegan Shumway came in to pitch. She was impressive. The first Bronco she faced got on base courtesy of an infield error. The next Bronco was thrown out third-to-first by Cori Manson. The next hitter lofted a soft hit to shallow center that Ally Ostrander fired to second base for a force out. Shumway walked a batter, then induced a harmless grounder that Brittany Keator played to first to retire the side.
Keator led off the fifth with a line-drive single, but a strike out and two grounds outs ended the inning. The game ended via the run rule, and Delhi had a 10-0 victory.
Photo: Tegan Shumway
FMCC 000 00 0-2-4
Delhi 205 3x 10-10-1
Taber, Palmateer (3), Shumway (4) and Leo; Neuner and Namer
2B: Delhi – Neuner, Matsumoto
Records: Delhi 2-2, FM 0-2
FM's next outing is scheduled for Tuesday, April 8, when the Raiders are to host Mohawk Valley CC. Game time is 3:00 p.m.
C.J. Bonny, website writer
Game One Photo, from left: Cori Manson, Alyssa Palmateer, Stephanie Rice, Kelsey Taber
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