AMHERST, MASS. – The Cortland softball team briefly staved off elimination from the NCAA Div. III regional at Amherst College with a 4-1 victory over the host Lord Jeffs, but the Red Dragons' season came to a close with a 6-1 loss later Sunday versus Keene State College of New Hampshire.

Cortland finished third at the eight-team regional and completes the season at 41-10. Keene State lost to Plattsburgh in the regional championship round as Plattsburgh advanced to the NCAA Div. III World Series.

Cortland seniors Abby Martin (Oswego) and Morgan Kuhn (Wayland/Wayland-Cohocton) were named to the NCAA Amherst Regional all-tournament team.

Cortland 4, Amherst 1 (Box Score)

Senior Lyndsay Rowell (Sandy Creek) earned the victory over the hosts for her 19th victory of the season. Rowell completes her career ranked third in school history with 71 wins. She gave up one run on three hits and two walks and struck out two in four and two-thirds innings. Kuhn allowed only one hit and one walk and struck out four over two and a third innings for her NCAA Div. III season-leading 10th save.

Cortland scored twice in the bottom of the first and two more runs in the second to take a 4-0 lead. Junior Lucia Meola (Liverpool/Cicero-North Syracuse) led off the first with a walk and was bunted to second by Lorraine Stoddard (Liverpool). A single by Martin pushed Meola to third, with Martin taking second on the throw to third base Sophomore Meaghan Kohler (Franklin, NJ/Warren Hills Regional) was intentionally walked to load the bases.

Junior Kayla Lynch (Albany/Colonie) then hit a ball up the middle that the Keene State shortstop fielded. She threw to third for a force out and a run scored. The second run scored after runners advanced two bases on a pair of illegal pitches.

In the second, junior Nicole Gallo (Mount Sinai) and Meola each singled with one out and moved to second and third on a wild pitch. Stoddard then singled to right to drive in a run, and the other run scored on a throwing error during the play.

Amherst loaded the bases n the third on an Idalia Friedson leadoff single and one-out walks by Kelsey Ayers and Kaitlin Silkowitz. A Donna Leet groundout to second scored a run, but Rowell escaped further damage by getting the next hitter to pop up to short.

Amherst threatened in the fifth with runners on first and third and two outs, but junior Cassie Kardias (Shrub Oak/Lakeland) made a sliding catch in center on a ball hit by Leet to preserve the 4-1 lead.

Keene St. 6, Cortland 1 (Box Score)

Keene State's Emily Albin allowed only one unearned run over seven innings for the victory as the Owls handed Cortland both of its losses at the regional. She gave up seven hits and four walks and struck out four. Five of Keene State's six runs in the contest were unearned as Cortland was charged with eight errors.

Rowell started and took the loss to finish the year 19-6. She gave up two hits and three unearned runs in an inning and two thirds. Martin tossed the next three and a third innings. She permitted only three hits and one run and struck out five. Kuhn threw the last two frames and fanned two batters. She allowed a hit and a walk and two unearned runs.

The Owls scored in the first when Haley Chandler singled, stole second and scored on an error. A Jessica Fiorenza RBI double and an error on a tough play between shortstop and third base accounted for two runs in the second and Keene State led 3-0.

In the bottom of the third, Gallo singled to lead off and Meola hit a single to center, with runners ending on second and third after an error. Stoddard's RBI single to left scored pinch runner Nancy Newell (Glenfield/South Lewis) and put runners on first and second with no outs. Albin retired the next three batters to squelch the Cortland rally.

Keene State scored in the fifth inning on a Katie Bradford solo homer and twice in the sixth on an error.

For Cortland, Martin tied a school record with her 18th double of the season – a two-bagger to left center in the bottom of the first. In addition, senior shortstop Jessica Harman (Penfield) finished as Cortland's career leader with 197 games played – all as a starter. She played in all but two games during her four years as a Red Dragon.

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