UTICA, N.Y. – Despite hitting five home runs in the second game, the Oswego State softball team lost a pair of close games at Utica College on a windy Wednesday afternoon.

THE BASICS

• Game 1 Result:   Utica 4, Oswego 2
• Game 2 Result:   Utica 17, Oswego 13
• Location:   Greenman Softball Field – Utica, N.Y.
• Records:   Utica 8-10  |  Oswego 5-11

HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1

• The Lakers struck right out of the gate when Erin Sweeney singled to right and then stole second base.  Rebecca Vilchez moved Sweeney to third on a groundout to the second baseman.
• After an Angela Frampton walk, Sweeney stole home as Frampton was caught trying to take second, putting Oswego up 1-0 after the first inning.
• Utica tied it up with a run in the bottom of the first inning and took the lead in the third with another run.
• In the top of the fourth, singles by Vilchez and Frampton put runners aboard for Brianna LoMonaco.  The freshman infielder fought during a nine-pitch at-bat before reaching on an error by the centerfielder that plated Vilchez to tie the game at 2-2.
• The score remained tied until the bottom of the sixth when four singles and four stolen bases by the Pioneers would score a pair of runs.
• Oswego put the tying runs aboard in the top of the seventh frame when Jessica Roe was hit by a pitch and Leah Czerwinski walked, but a pair of fielder's choice outs would thwart the Laker rally.
• Sweeney's three steals in the game made her a perfect 5-for-5 on the season.
• Vilchez (1-5) took the loss while pitching the complete game and striking out four batters.

Game 2

• The Lakers rebounded nicely in game two when Sweeney walked and Emily Knowlden homered to left center to go up 2-0 in the first inning.
• Utica scored a pair on three hits in the bottom of the inning to knot the game at 2-2.
• Knowlden smacked her second homer of the contest in the top of third inning and Frampton followed her with a solo shot of her own to put Oswego up 4-2.
• Oswego wasn't finished in the inning as Brianna Harrington singled and her pinch-runner, Czerwinski, moved to third by a single from senior Claire Hewitt.  Junior Carly Lawless brought Czerwinski in on a fielder's choice groundout.
• It became a 10-2 lead for the green and gold in the top of the fourth when Sweeney walked to start the inning and Vilchez singled.  Knowlden doubled to bring in Sweeney and Frampton reached on a error that allowed both Laker baserunners to score.
• Catcher Jenna Gotte then sent her own four-bagger over the fences to put Oswego in control.
• The Pioneers cut the Laker lead to 11-8 with three runs in the fourth and another three runs in the fifth, with Oswego scoring on Frampton's second homerun in between the surge.
• A nine-run, two-out rally in the bottom fo the sixth led to Utica going up 17-11.
• The Lakers were able to load the bases in the seventh on singles from Vilchez, Roe and Frampton. Gotte then drove in a pair with a drive to right center, but Oswego was unable to complete the comeback.
• Knowlden, Frampton and Gotte each drove in four runs in the nightcap. Vilchez, Harrington and Casey Gray each contributed a pair of hits at the plate.
• As a team, Oswego had a season-high 16 hits in the contest.

WHAT'S NEXT

Oswego returns home for a conference doubleheader with New Paltz at 12 p.m. on Saturday.