Softball Recap: Beacon Comes Up Short

Beacon had lost 14 straight on the road dating back to last season, but on Tuesday they dropped their record down to 1-11 to make it 15. They came up short against the New Paltz Huguenots, falling 12-0. That's two games in a row now that the Bulldogs have lost by exactly 12 runs.

As for New Paltz, they have been performing well recently as they've won four of their last five games. That's provided a nice bump to their 9-5 record this season. Considering they have won seven contests by more than eight runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.

For New Paltz's part, Ella Gates made a splash while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only two hits while striking out seven over five innings pitched. Gates has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in five consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-2 with one triple and one run.

In other batting news, New Paltz let Madison Braren and Anna Maiale run wild. Braren went 2-for-3 with three RBI and one run, while Maiale got on base in all three of her plate appearances with three runs and one stolen base. Those three runs gave Maiale a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Ava McGinnis, who went a perfect 1-for-1 with one run, one double, and one RBI.

Coming up, Beacon will welcome Liberty at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The Indians have struggled to contain batters this season (they've allowed 13 runs per game on average), something the Bulldogs will no doubt try to take advantage of. As for New Paltz, they are taking a road trip to challenge Red Hook at 4:15 p.m. on Friday.