Late Oswego HR Sinks Saints in 3-1 Final

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Sophomore catcher Mattison Phinney (Baldwinsville,N.Y.) broke a 1-1 tie with a two-run bomb to centerfield to power Oswego State over Emmanuel College, 3-1, in Day 5 softball action of The Spring Games in Kissimmee, Fla.

Late Oswego HR Sinks Saints in 3-1 Final
Box Score

Team Stats

March 11, 2023

THE BASICS 
Emmanuel College, 1 vs. Oswego State, 3

Records: 
Emmanuel Saints (4-5, 0-0 GNAC)
Oswego Lakers (1-0, 0-0 SUNYAC)

Location: Kissimmee, Fla. – Fortune Road Sportsplex Field 3

Date: Saturday, March 11, 2023

THE LEAD – Sophomore catcher Mattison Phinney (Baldwinsville,N.Y.) broke a 1-1 tie with a two-run bomb to centerfield to power Oswego State over Emmanuel College, 3-1, in Day 5 softball action of The Spring Games in Kissimmee, Fla.

HOW IT HAPPENED

  • Seniors pitchers Tianna Dawe (Lynn, Mass.) and Fiona Higgins (Buffalo, N.Y.) were dominant in the circle for each side through the first four innings. Dawe surrendered just two hits while Higgins had a no-hitter into the fifth as the hurlers dueled in a 0-0 fight.
  • The Lakers struck first with the game's first run in the top of the fifth as Mattison Phinney (Baldwinsville,N.Y.) led off the inning with a double, moved over to third on a sacrifice bunt before coming in to score on an RBI groundout by Madison Hoeflich (Buffalo, N.Y.) to give Oswego the 1-0 edge.
  • The Saints responded with some two-out magic in the bottom half of the frame as first year Mackenzie Briggs (West Warwick, R.I.) broke up the Higgins no-hitter with a single through the right side of the infield. Next up, senior outfielder Julyanne Pacheco (Somerset, Mass.) crushed an RBI triple to right center to plate Briggs and tie the game at 1-1.
  • Emmanuel threatened in the bottom of the sixth as a leadoff walk to pinch hitter Emely Rodriguez (Lynn, Mass.) chased Higgins from the game. On in relief, Maria Lutz (Dix Hills, N.Y.) issued another walk to put two on with no out for EC but the Saints came up empty as Lutz worked out of the jam to keep the score at 1-1 to set the stage for the Phinney homer that proved to be the difference maker in the 3-1 final.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

  • Lutz picked up the win working the final 2.0 innings of the contest surrendering just the leadoff walk before retiring six straight to move to 1-0 on the year. Higgins was strong in her first start of the campaign scattering the two hits over 5.0+ innings of work, striking out 11.
  • Dawe threw well in defeat, going the distance and allowing the three runs on five hits, also striking out 11, a season-high
  • Phinney finished the game going 3-for-3 at the plate with two RBI and a run scored.
  • The victory was the first at Oswego State for first-year Head Coach Cristen Nichols who took over the program in December.

UP NEXT

  • Emmanuel plays its final game in Florida today at 11:30 AM vs. Wheaton College (MA).
  • Oswego also returns to action later today with a 2:00 PM contest vs. New England College.