Osceola, FL:  The Ramapo College softball team split a pair of games at the SunKissed Games today. The Roadrunners fell to Plattsburgh State 6-5 while they defeated McDaniel College 9-1 in a run-rule five inning game.  The Roadrunners open the 2018 season 1-1 overall.
 
Game one:
Three Ramapo errors led to three un-earned runs crossing the plate for Plattsburgh late in the game as they won 6-5. They took a quick 2-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth before Ramapo tied the game with two runs of their own. Pinch runners Carli Egan scored following an infield error before Carly Vadinsky touched home plate on a wild pitch for a 2-2 score.
 
Ramapo would take the lead 5-2 in the fifth when Nicole Hernandez knocked home Ally Spellman with an RBI single for the first run of the inning. Vadinsky plated a run of her own on an RBI single before Sisi Machinski laced a single into right field for the third run of the inning. Plattsburgh got one back in the sixth and scored three runs (two earned) in the top of the seventh for a 6-5 lead. The Cardinals held the Roadrunners in the bottom half of the seventh as they earned moved to 2-0 on the year.
 
Katrina Buczkowski started the game for Ramapo on the mound and earned a no-decision with six strikeouts, one walk in five innings of work. She scattered five hits while surrendering two runs. Paige Merle (0-1) took the loss in relief; striking out two, walking three and surrendering four runs (one earned) while only giving up one hit in the final two innings of work.
 
Game two:
The Roadrunners posted a 9-1 run rule five-inning game against McDaniel to earn their first win of the 2018 season. They scored two runs each in the second and third innings before they broke open the game with four runs in the fourth.
 
Harper Patsko walked to lead off the top of the second before Shannon Cox doubled to left field allowing Patsko to score with the game's first run and a 1-0 lead. Cox moved up one base on a pass ball before Hernandez lifted a sac fly to left field for a 2-0 score. In the third inning, Ramapo's Jackie Howarth put down a bunt single before Krista Verrino singled to right field. The ball was misplayed in the outfield allowing Howarth to score and Verrino to advance to third with one out. Spellman then recorded a sac fly to right field plating Verrino for a 4-0 lead.
 
Cox led off the fourth with a double before Hernandez singled, each moved up one base on a sac bunt from Kristen Ruggiero before Machinski laced a single to the right-center field gap plating two runs, 6-0. Howarth then launched her first home run of the season and third of her career – a two-run shot over the left-center field fence taking an 8-0 lead.
 
McDaniel added their lone run in the bottom of the fourth before Ramapo extened their lead to 9-1 in the top of the fifth. Cox drove home starting pitcher Christina Brizek with a hard hit single to right-center field. Brizek reached on an infield throwing error which allowed her to move to second base earlier in the inning.
 
Brizek (1-0) struck out one, walked two and scattered three hits in the win.
 
The Roadrunners return to action tomorrow afternoon at the SunKissed Games when they take on SUNY Cortland at 11:15am and Utica College at 1:30pm.