Homers power Generals past Panthers

Dryden, NY – The Herkimer Generals put on a power show that overwhelmed the Tompkins Cortland ("TC3") Panthers on Monday afternoon. The visitors won Game One 20-1 and took Game Two 13-2. The softball squad has now won 20 games in a row.

The 2013 softball team has a versatile offense that can generate runs in many ways. On this date the Generals' power hitting took center stage. Eight different Herkimer batters hit home runs in the doubleheader.

Samantha Smaldone led the Generals' barrage by belting three round-trippers. Delaney Buckley "went yard" twice. Seniors Stephanie Siriano and Jessica Patterelli both homered. Those names are all familiar to Herkimer Generals fans. They were joined by four freshmen who hit their first collegiate home runs: Alexa DiSpirito, Alyssa Balfe, Kathryn Dolly, and Fallon Spriggs.

Photo: Sammy Smaldone launching a home run against Broome earlier in the season

Game One

The Generals faced a good, fast pitcher, Seneca Baldwin, in Game One, and they had immediate success against her. Herkimer batters brought home four runs in the first three innings, then exploded for 13 runs in the fourth frame. Meanwhile, starting pitcher Toni Secreti and her defense were holding the Panthers scoreless. Secreti struck out seven Panthers.

The game was shortened to five innings by the run rule. The final score was 20-1.

Twelve Generals had hits in the game. Delaney Buckley, Tina Karaqi, and Ashley Sterritt all hit safely three times. Seven Generals drove in runs. Buckley drove in four of them, while hitting two homers. Buckley has six home runs this season, and all have come within the past nine days.

Herkimer 211 (13)3 20-20-1

TC3 000 01 1-4-3

WP: Secreti (7-1), LP: Baldwin

2B- Herkimer- Patterelli, Karaqi (2) Sterritt (2); TC3- Morse, Morey

HR- Herkimer- Buckley (2), Smaldone, Siriano, Balfe, DiSpirito

Game Two

The Generals kept up their ferocious attack, scoring eight runs in the first three innings. Starting pitcher Alexa DiSpirito saw the Panthers score twice in the first inning, but those were the only runs that she and the team allowed.

Herkimer had a big fifth inning, fueled once again by the long ball. Fallon Spriggs came to the plate after a lead-off single by Catlin Sanders and blasted a monstrous two-run home run over the left-center field fence. The next batter, Jess Patterelli, also got into the act as she hit an opposite-field shot for her third round-tripper of the year. Then Herkimer went back-to-back for the second time of the day as Sammy Smaldone hit her second of the game and third of the day. Steph Siriano (3-4, 2 2B's, 2 RBI), Tina Karaqi (2-3, 2b, 2 RBI's) and Caitlin Sanders (2-4, 2B, RBI) also had multi-hit games for Herkimer.

The final score was 13-2.

Eleven members of the Herkimer Nine have hit home runs so far this season. Smaldone leads the team with nine homers, Siriano has hit seven, and Buckley has blasted six.

The Generals have a busy week. They will host Onondaga CC at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday. They will travel to SUNY Delhi on Wednesday, and will host North Country CC on Thursday.

Herkimer 323 05 13-19-0

TC3 200 00 2-6-0

WP: DiSpirito (7-0), LP: Ford

2B- Herkimer-Siriano (2), Karaqi, Sanders-

HR- Herkimer- Smaldone (2), Patterelli, Spriggs, Dolly; TC3- Everhart

Herkimer 22-1, 18-0, 7-0