The Geneseo softball team has the opportunity to distinguish itself from previous seasons, as it heads into the final weekend of SUNYAC competition.
A split and a sweep against SUNY Fredonia and Buffalo State College on Sunday April 21 and Monday April 22, respectively, place the Knights at third in conference standings.
The victories ensure a playoff spot for Geneseo who, alongside SUNY Brockport and SUNY Cortland, “are in the chase for hosting SUNYACs, which would be the first time in 11 or 12 years [for Geneseo] if that happens,” interim head coach David Sylvester said.
“It’s not like we’re fighting for our life, but we’re fighting for the right to do something that hasn’t [been] done here a long time,” he said. “To even be in that position in the final weekend I think says something special about this team.”
In order to host the SUNYAC championship, Geneseo needs to sweep Cortland on Saturday April 27, who must sweep Brockport on Friday April 26, Sylvester said.
“We’re going to have our hands full this weekend,” he said, citing how Cortland wants to also host the playoffs and SUNY Oswego – who visits the Knights on Friday April 26 – needs to qualify for the tournament.
“We’re sitting in a real good position right now,” he said. “We’re going to make a good run next week and hopefully we’ll be successful with it. If not, we’re going to give some people some fits.”
Geneseo already wreaked havoc against Buffalo. Junior Sam Trapasso dominated the plate going 4-7 in the doubleheader. The Garden City, N.Y. native tallied her seventh home run to increase her career total to 15 – one shy of the school’s all-time record.
Trapasso said she often finds motivation at bat after the top of the order makes it on base. “Last year … I would just get up and there would be nobody on base,” she said. “It’s a lot different this year.”
First-year Sam Brown continued her hot streak with a single and double. Sophomore Ashley Fillmore stole two bases against Bengals senior Lindsay Goff – her 18th and 19th this season. Fillmore is four short of the Geneseo single-season record.
The day before, in the 5-3 loss to the Fredonia Blue Devils, freshman Mikayla Moore recorded her first career home run as a pinch hitter.
In the nightcap, the Knights collected 14 hits on their way to a 13-8 victory. Trapasso went 4-5 with a two-run homer and five RBIs. Brown supported the offense, tallying two singles, a double, three runs and two RBIs. Senior Lexi Williams, junior Elise Porreca and sophomore Abby Weiss added two hits apiece.
Sophomore Nicole Zimmerman claimed her fifth win on the mound by limiting the Blue Devils to seven hits and striking out seven in 4.2 innings. First-year Corrin Spallone recorded the save after facing 11 batters.
In the midst of late-season excitement, Geneseo will also honor its senior class in the Cortland doubleheader.
Senior co-captains Katie Gallagher and Jessica Steubing, along with senior Alexa Salzman and Williams joined the Knights squad when Sylvester also came on board as the pitching coach in 2009.
Although “a fairly small senior class,” according to Sylvester, the four Knights demonstrate a lot of leadership.
“They’ve worked very hard on making this team work and putting it together,” Sylvester said. “They’re going to be tough to replace.”