For the first time in more than four years, the Tompkins Cortland softball team picked up a victory. The Panthers' 43-game losing skid, dating back to 2019 and bridging two years lost due to the pandemic, came to an end Sunday with a 10-7 win in the first game of a doubleheader with SUNY Adirondack. The Panthers came up just short of making a sweep, dropping the second game by a score of 7-4. Tompkins Cortland is now 1-23 on the year; Adirondack is 7-18.
Game One: Tompkins Cortland 10, Adirondack 7
Each team scored three runs in the first inning, and Adirondack matched it in the second to lead 6-3 midway through the inning. In the bottom of the second, the first seven Panthers reached base, with Lana Thousand (Onondaga/Onondaga H.S.) driving in Gabby Foley (Barton/Tioga H.S.) to put the home team ahead 7-6. With the bases loaded and no outs, the Panthers missed out on a chance to extend the lead when the next three batters all struck out. They didn't miss out the next inning, when Gabby Foley drilled a two-run homer to put the lead to 9-6. Adirondack plated one run in the sixth, but Tompkins Cortland responded in the bottom when Austyn Vance (Nichols/Tioga H.S.) legged out an inside-the-park homer to make the score 10-7. Two groundouts and a pop up in the top of the seventh ended the game, and ended the losing skid.
Gabby Foley finished 4-for-4 with a home run and a double, four RBI, and three runs scored. She also earned her first win in the circle, throwing a complete game and allowing just four hits. Vance was 3-for-3 with two RBI. Abby Foley (Barton/Tioga H.S.) and Hannah Forehand (Groton/Christian Victory Academy) each went 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
Game Two: Adirondack 7, Tompkins Cortland 4
Abby Foley (Barton/Tioga H.S.) led game two with a single and came around to score on a single by Thousand, putting the Panthers up 1-0. The lead didn't last long as Adirondack scored in each of the four innings, moving to a 7-1 lead while recording only three hits, but taking advantage of 15 free passes between walks and batters hit by pitches. The margin remained 7-1 into the seventh when the Panthers put together a final rally. Gaby Foley opened the inning with a double, sparking a rally that saw Sara Cargen (Homer/Homer H.S.) and Karissa Wilbur (McGraw/McGraw H.S.) each drive in runs. With both Wilbur and Cargen on base with one out, the Panthers had two chances with the tying run at the plate, but the game ended before another run could cross the plate.
Abby Foley and Wilbur each went 2-for-4 to lead the 10-hit attack.
Looking ahead
The Panthers finish the season Tuesday at home with a doubleheader with Erie Community College.