WASHINGTON, DC. - The SUNY Oswego Softball team traveled to the nation's capital to take on 2025 NCAA Qualifier Marymount University in the opening games of the 2026 season.
 
THE BASICS
Final Score: 
 
Game 1
Oswego: 6 (1-0, 0-0 SUNYAC)
Marymount: 0 (6-7, 0-0 Atlantic East)
 
Game 2
Oswego: 10 (2-0, 0-0 SUNYAC)
Marymount: 2 (6-8, 0-0 Atlantic East)
 
Location: Nationals Youth Academy | Washington, DC.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
Game 1
 
Kira Wright started things out for the Lakers with a single. Lillian Haggerty would advance Wright to second after being hit by a pitch. Then, with both runners on, Ryn Perico homered deep over the left field wall, giving Oswego an early 3-0 lead.
 
Alyssa Budzinski started on the mound for Oswego, and pitched four lights-out innings, allowing no hits.
 
In the top of the fifth, Emma Budzinski started things out with a single to center field. Emma Donnelly followed suit, advancing Budzinski to second. Kira Wright then hit an RBI-single to center field, scoring Budzinski. Immediately after, Grace DiPalma hit an RBI-double down the left field line, scoring Donnelly. Grace DiPalma then stole home on an error, extending Oswego's lead to 6-0 before the end of the inning.
 
Neither team would score for the rest of game one, as Alyssa Budzinski, backed by the Lakers' defense, finished the game allowing just one hit.
 
Game 2
 
The second game started very similarly to the first. Grace DiPalma walked in her first at-bat, then stole second. Kayla Doerre was walked as well, and Gianna DeGonza opened the scoring with an RBI-single that brought DiPalma home. 
 
Still in the first, Molly Reynolds walked, loading the bases. Lillian Haggerty was hit by the next pitch, giving Kayla Doerre an unearned run. Ariana Guinassi walked as well, sending DeGonza home. After that, Mackenzie Carlson tacked on a 2 RBI-single to center field, scoring Haggerty and Reynolds.
 
The Lakers made it back to the top of the order, where Kira Wright drove in one more run, and made it 6-0 before the first inning concluded.
 
Marymount would get one run back in the bottom of the inning, but the Lakers held onto a comfortable 6-1 lead going into the second.
 
Neither team would score again until the top of the fourth. Kira Wright led off the inning with a single to center field. After stealing second, Wright reached home on a throwing error. Kayla Doerre followed that up with an RBI-double to center field, driving home Grace DiPalma, and making it 8-1.
 
Marymount responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the fourth, making it 8-2,
 
In the top of the sixth, Grace DiPalma reached third on an error in the outfield. Kayla Doerre was then hit by a pitch and stole second, leaving two Oswego runners in scoring position. Ryin Perico converted a 2 RBI-double, scoring both runners, and increasing the lead to 10-2.
 
This one would end after six innings, as the Lakers swept the Saints on the day, improving their record to 2-0 on the season.
 
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Lakers will head to Baltimore to take on Notre Dame of Maryland University in a double header. First pitch is set for 3:00 PM tomorrow.