CANTON, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State softball team fell in both ends of a doubleheader against St. Lawrence on Tuesday afternoon, losing 5-0 and 3-1. Claire Palmer (Suffern, N.Y./Suffern) moved to within three hits of 100 on the day, ending the doubleheader with 97 in her career.

Palmer led the way with three total hits on the day, while Megan Pillus (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Spackenkill) and Sara Isaacs (Malta, N.Y./Shenendehowa) each had two hits for the Cards. Carly Gemmett (Colonie, N.Y./Colonie Central) and Sarah Milyko (Goshen, N.Y./Chester Academy) each tossed complete games, as Gemmett struck out a Plattsburgh career-best seven batters. At the same time, Milyko allowed just three earned runs in her start.

Plattsburgh State falls to 5-9 on the season and will open up conference play tomorrow, April 10, when they take on Potsdam in a doubleheader at 3 p.m. St. Lawrence improves to 13-6 and will head to Rochester this weekend, taking on RIT on Friday, April 12 and Rochester on Saturday, April 13, both in doubleheaders.

Game One: St. Lawrence 5, Plattsburgh 0

The Cards were only able to pick up four hits in the game one loss, as Pillus had two hits, including a double, to lead the offensive effort. Palmer also added a base hit while Isaacs added a hit as well. Gemmett took the loss in the circle as she pitched all six innings for Plattsburgh, striking out seven batters while allowing five runs on five walks.

The Saints took the lead for good in the bottom of the second as Maeve Thompson and Vivian Johnson each doubled home runs, and Allison Kloft singled home Johnson to put St. Lawrence up 3-0 after two innings of play. They would later add their final two runs in the fourth on a two-run double by Olivi Caporale, as they collected three extra-base hits in game one.

While the offense was rolling for the Saints, Izzy Melanson pitched excellently for her squad, throwing a complete shutout. She pitched seven innings and allowed just four hits while striking out five.
Plattsburgh had their best chance to score in the fifth inning, as they trailed by five when Pillus led off the frame with a double to left center. The sophomore infielder was stranded in scoring position, however, as two flyouts and a lineout failed to bring her home.

Over the final two innings, the Cards were unable to get a runner in scoring position, as they took the 5-0 loss to St. Lawrence.

Caporale had two hits and two RBI while Kloft had two hits, one RBI, and a run scored.

Game Two: St. Lawrence 3, Plattsburgh 1

Palmer helped drive the offense for Plattsburgh in game two, as she had two of the team's three hits, with Isaacs adding a triple and scoring the lone run. Julia Golino (Mount Sinai, N.Y./Mount Sinai), who saw her 19-game hit streak dating back to last season come to an end in game one, drove in the team's lone run with a sacrifice fly in the seventh. Milyko was solid in the circle, allowing just three runs in six innings of work, striking out two batters while scattering eight hits.

In what was a pitcher's duel the whole throughout, the Saints took the early lead, adding two runs in the fourth to take the lead after three and a half innings of scoreless softball. Zola Braswell singled home a run, while Caporale brought in a run with an RBI groundout. Caporale also added a run for her team in the sixth with a single to left center.

The Cardinals weren't able to threaten against the Saints pitcher Sofia Berryhill until the seventh when Isaacs tripled to right center to put the tying run on deck. After a sacrifice fly from Golino, Berryhill retired the next two batters of the game, prohibiting the tying run to reach base for Plattsburgh State, and giving her team the 3-1 win.

Berryhill threw all seven innings for her fifth win, striking out five and allowing just four hits and one run. Meredith Rose had two hits while Braswell had two hits as well.