NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The Cortland softball team opened its 2023 schedule with a 9-0 victory over Suffolk University at the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic. The Red Dragons' game versus Skidmore was postponed due to rain, with no make-up date announced yet.
 
Karlee Weeden (Maybrook/Valley Central) allowed two hits over six scoreless innings for the win. She walked two and struck out two. Kimberly Westenberg (Massapequa Park/Massapequa) completed the shutout by retiring the side in order in the bottom of the seventh.
 
McKenna Barry (Clifton Park/Shenendehowa) finished 2-for-3 with a walk and four RBI, Elaina Ornstein (Yorktown Heights/Yorktown) was 2-for-3 with a walk and three runs scored, and Tori Reich (Cornwall) went 2-for-3 with a walk, RBI and two runs to lead Cortland's offense.
 
Ella Turnbull took the loss for Suffolk (1-3) after allowing two hits and four unearned runs in an inning and two thirds. She walked four and struck out one. Maddi Southers and Becky Zellin each finished 1-for-3 at the plate and Caitlin Murphy walked twice for the Rams.
 
Cortland took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Ornstein led off with a single, stole second and went to third on a one-out passed ball. Barry walked, and Barry and Ornstein executed a double steal to bring home the run. The Red Dragons added three in the second. Brooke Scheibe (Sayville) walked with one out and went to second on a wild pitch. Reich walked, and with two outs Ornstein reached on an error to load the bases. Halle Wright (Ballston Spa) walked to force in a run and Barry followed wit a two-run single up the middle.
 
Cortland extended its lead to 7-0 in the top of the sixth. Reich bunted for a single with one out and Gina Meyers (Liverpool) walked. Ornstein bunted for a single, and a throwing error during the play allowed Reich to score. Ornstein stole second, and with two outs Barry lined a two-run single to right.
 
The Red Dragons closed the scoring with two runs in the seventh. Westenberg, who started the game as the designated player, led off with a double and Shannon Scotto (Putnam Valley/Lakeland) was hit by a pitch. Scheibe's single moved Scotto to second and pinch runner Megan LaMont (Amsterdam) to third. Reich singled through the right side to drive home a run and Meyers plated a run with a groundout to second.
 
Cortland limited the Rams to just one runner in scoring position when Southers led off the fourth with an infield single, moved to second on a sac bunt and took third on a groundout. Weeden, however, got the next batter to pop out to second. Two other Suffolk runners were caught stealing by Ornstein and another was erased at first on a lineout double play to Barry.