PURCHASE, NY --- (www.YORKATHLETICS.com) York College softball took the field Wednesday afternoon for the first time since closing out the 2019 season.  The Cardinals featured seven newcomers during a season-opening 17-0 and 18-2 non-conference setbacks on the road to the Purchase College Panthers (2-6) from Purchase College Field.

Game 1: Purchase 17, York 0 (5 Inn.)
The Cardinals threatened in the third inning with a pair of singles to lead off the frame.  Anita Okoye (1-for-2) slapped a single off Emily Foltin (W, 1-0; 3.0 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 5 K) to break York into the hit column.  Andrea Wright (1-for-1, BB) then singled up the middle to advance Okoye to second.  Two batters later, Bryanna Lora Martinez grounded to second to move Okoye and Wright into scoring position before Foltin induced Kiara Gonzalez into a ground out to strand two runners.  

In the fourth inning, Kayla McLaughlin (0-fo-2, 2 BB) worked a one-out walk and then advanced to third as Nayelly Rojas reached on a fielding error by Purchase third baseman Zanaia Godette.  With runners at second and third, Foltin got out of the jam by striking out Okoye and Shamonie Miller to end the inning.  

Purchase jumped out to a 6-0 lead with three hits and 10 stolen bases off Kiara Gonzalez (L, 0-1) in the first inning.  Gonzalez caught Olivia McLellan looking in the second inning to register her first-career strikeout.  Purchase scored two in the second and broke the game open in the third with a four-run inning.  Gonzalez tossed 4.0 innings in her debut as Purchase totaled 15 hits and reached base on 15 walks while York committed three errors.  

Game 2: Purchase 18, York 2 (5 Inn.)
Mary Cuevas got off to a fast start by stroking a two-out double in the opening frame off Panther hurler Kelly Agostini (W, 1-3; 3.0 IP, 2 H, 5 K), but was stranded after a McLaughlin (0-for-1, BB) strikeout.  

Purchase took a 4-0 lead on Cuevas (L, 0-1; 4.0 IP, 9 H, 16 ER, 18 BB, 2 K) in the first inning with six costly walks and five wild pitches.  In the second inning, the Panthers scored 10 runs to stretch their advantage to 14.   

York broke through in the fourth inning with a pair of runs to settle the 18-2 final.  With runners in scoring position, Cuevas scored on a wild pitch for the Cardinals' initial run off Foltin.  Miller (1-for-2, RBI) then sent a single up the middle to drive home McLaughlin.  Okoye (1-for-1) hit safely in both games with a two-out single in the second while York also produced a leadoff single by Gonzalez in the fourth.  York finished with four hits and left two runners on base as Purchase registered nine hits, 10 stolen bases and stranded three runners.  

Up Next
The Cardinals (0-2) remain on the road Saturday (Mar. 26) for a 1 p.m. non-conference doubleheader against the University of Valley Forge Patriots (2-4) from UVF Field in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania.  

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