CORTLAND, N.Y. - Cortland clinched at least a share of the SUNYAC regular-season softball title and the right to host the league's postseason tournament after splitting a home doubleheader versus New Paltz. The Red Dragons lost the opener to the Hawks, 6-1, after committing six errors, but rebounded to win the second game, 16-0, in five innings.

Cortland, ranked 18th nationally in Division III, improved to 24-8 overall and 13-1 in league play. The Red Dragons have swept the only two teams still able to catch them in the standings, Oswego and Plattsburgh (both 9-5 in league play). Cortland will host the six-team, double-elimination SUNYAC tournament for the third straight year May 4-7.

New Paltz 6, Cortland 1

New Paltz scored twice in the first and three times in the second to take a 5-0 lead, and the Hawks added a run in the sixth. Four of New Paltz's six runs were unearned as Cortland committed all six of its errors during the three scoring innings.

Lauren Cappello earned the win in the circle with a complete-game seven-hitter. She struck out three and walked one. Jamie Lachall (Philadelphia, PA/Sun Valley) threw the first five innings and gave up six runs, two earned, on six hits. She struck out five and walked none. Sam Van Dorn (Medford/Patchogue-Medford) gave up one hit and one walk and fanned two in two scoreless innings of relief.

Julia DiSpigna led the Hawks at the plate by going 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Taylor Neonette was 2-for-4 and Taylor LaFrance went 1-for-2 with an RBI and two runs. Andrea Schoonmaker (Marlboro) finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and Ericka Sadowski (Liverpool) was 1-for-2 with a walk for the Red Dragons.

Shannon Fee's RBI groundout plated New Paltz's first run, with the second coming on a wild pickoff throw. The Hawks' three-run third featured a DiSpigna two-run single. Cortland scored its run on a Schoonmaker sac fly in the third, and New Paltz closed the scoring on a LaFrance RBI single after two Cortland errors and a hit batter loaded the bases.

Cortland 16, New Paltz 0 (5 inn.)

Cortland smashed 14 hits and Alexandrea Flint (Dalton/Keshequa) threw a two-hit shutout with two strikeouts and three walks in the second game, which was called after the top of the fifth due to the eight-run rule.

The Red Dragons scored twice in the first on RBI singles by Niki Barbato (East Meadow/Holy Trinity) and Chelsea Palma (Holbrook/Sachem North). Both runs were unearned due to an error that allowed the leadoff batter to reach.

Cortland pushed across six runs in the second to extend the lead to 8-0. The inning's scoring started with a Schoonmaker two-run triple, with a throwing error on the play also allowing Schoonmaker to come home. Later in the inning Skyler Hoyt (Endicott/Union-Endicott) drove home a run with a sac fly and Stephanie Tirone (Williamsville/Williamsville South) hit a two-run single. The lead grew to 9-0 in the third on a Barbato RBI single.

Cortland scored its final seven runs in a very unique fourth inning. The first nine batters were all pinch hitters, with seven of them reaching base. Jessica Marsh (Wynantskill/Troy) hit an RBI single, followed by a Danielle Olive (Bethpage) two-run single. Three batters later, Van Dorn pinch hit for only her second plate appearance of the season and she hit a grand slam off the left field foul pole. She walked in her previous time up this season at Stockton.

Barbato finished 3-for-3 with two RBI, while Rosie Phillips (Geneva/Our Lady of Mercy) and Sadowski each went 2-for-2 with two runs scored. Phillips also reached via a walk. Tirone was 1-for-2 with two RBI and Schoonmaker finished with two RBI and two runs scored.

New Paltz's two hits were a one-out single by Nicole DePaola in the third and a one-out single by Fee in the fourth. Cappello started and allowed six hits and six runs, three earned, in one-plus innings.

Cortland will travel to Union College for a non-league doubleheader Tuesday at 3 p.m.