KISSIMMEE, FLA. – The William Paterson softball team (5-5) earned a 5-3 victory against Cortland (4-4) before dropping a 2-0 decision to Springfield (7-1) March 16 at the Rebel Spring Games.
 
Game One
Three runs during the bottom of the sixth inning carried the Pioneers to a 5-3 win.
 
Senior right fielder Nicole Fryer (East Stroudsburg, Pa./East Stroudsburg South) started the home half of the first with a single through the left side, advanced to second on a passed ball and moved to third thanks to an error before she beat out the throw home on a bunt by senior shortstop Rachel Wasilak (Livingston, N.J./Livingston) for the game's first run. Freshman left fielder Vanessa Archibold (Saddle Brook, N.J./Saddle Brook) later scored on an attempted double steal to hand WP a 2-0 edge.
 
The Red Dragons got one run back in the third with a bunt single, double and error.
 
Cortland took a 3-2 lead in the fifth, using a bunt single, steal, RBI-single, groundout and double to left.
 
The Pioneers re-took the lead in the sixth. Archibold had an infield base hit and Wasilak singled through the left side before junior catcher Kaitlyn Poretti (Florence, N.J./Florence Memorial) put down a sacrifice. Senior first baseman Salina Pellios (Middlesex, N.J./Middlesex) dropped a single over third base, plating two runs, and junior center fielder Kara Molnar (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial) added a run-scoring triple to right field.
 
Wasilak was 2-for-3 while adding an RBI and run scored. Pellios posted two RBI and Archibold scored twice.
 
Senior Gabrielle Castelli (Cedar Grove, N.J./Cedar Grove) improved to 4-0, allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits and two walks, striking out four.
 
Junior shortstop Andrea Schoonmaker, senior first baseman Mikayla Shade and senior third baseman Kaleigh Churchill each went 2-for-4 for the Red Dragons. Senior Alexandrea Flint (1-2) gave up five runs (three earned) and six hits while striking out two over 5.2 innings.
 
Game Two
The Pride scored twice in the bottom of the sixth for a 2-0 victory.
 
A one-out walk and wild pitch led to a RBI-double from pinch hitter Gabby Alferi, and a single and an error plated the final run.
 
Wasilak, Poretti, Pellios and Molnar had WP's four hits.
 
Senior Allison Podmajersky (Red Bank, N.J./Middletown South) surrendered eight hits, two runs (one earned) and one walk with three strikeouts over 6.0 innings (1-5).
 
Junior Talia Loda earned the victory with 7.0 shutout innings, scattering four hits while posting four strikeouts (4-0).
 
William Paterson will finish its stay at the Rebel Spring Games on Saturday, March 18, facing Transylvania at 11:15 a.m. and St. Scholastica at 1:30 p.m.
     
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