Finger Lakes Softball Breaks Through With Mercy Rule Sweep of Herkimer

CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. – The Finger Lakes Community College softball team made history Tuesday afternoon, erupting for 35 combined runs in a dominant sweep of perennial Region III powerhouse Herkimer College. With wins of 21-13 and 14-4, the Lakers improved to 6-8 and earned what is believed to be their first victories over the Generals in modern program history.

The Lakers wasted no time jumping out front in the opener. After Herkimer struck first with a single run in the top of the first, Finger Lakes answered with a 7-run response. A sacrifice from Emma Johnson (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport) tied the game, then Lauren Pilon (Kendall, N.Y./Kendall) doubled home another before a bases-loaded walk set up Ella Upchurch (Palmyra, N.Y./Palmyra-Macedon) to clear the bases with a 3-run single to left. Anna Kurtzhalts (Grand Island, N.Y./Grand Island) capped the inning with an RBI single to make it 7-1.

The Generals pulled even with 6 runs in the second, but the Lakers never blinked. A pair of RBI singles from Cameron Crawford (Ontario, N.Y./Wayne) and Jenna Tyczynski (Westmoreland, N.Y./Westmoreland) in the third stretched the lead, and the offense erupted again in the fourth. RBI triples from Jackie Neureuter (Pembroke, N.Y./Pembroke) and Gia Bills (Honeoye Falls, N.Y./Honeoye Falls-Lima) helped spark a 7-run inning that included contributions up and down the lineup. Upchurch doubled home her 4th RBI of the game—tied for 3rd-most in a single game in program history—while Tyczynski matched the feat with an RBI single of her own. The Lakers added 3 more in the fifth to seal a 21-13 win, their highest scoring output since 2023 when they defeated Columbia-Greene Community College 21-1 at home.

In the nightcap, the bats stayed hot. After playing to a 3-3 tie through 3 innings, Finger Lakes erupted for 11 runs in the bottom of the fourth.

Brazen Beckwith (Wellsville, N.Y./Wellsville) got the scoring started with an RBI single, and the floodgates opened from there. Errors and miscues by Herkimer allowed Ella Robinson (Hallstead, PA./Blue Ridge), Cameron Crawford, and Lauren Pilon to cross the plate. Jackie Neureuter ripped a double to the gap to drive in another, and Upchurch came through again with a clean RBI single to extend the lead to 14-3.

Beckwith led the way with 3 RBIs, while Neureuter added one more to cap a 3-RBI day. Madison Anderson (Ashville, N.Y./Chautauqua Lake) was steady in the circle, picking up her 6th win of the year with a 6-strikeout complete game.

The sweep caps a 3-game homestand as the Lakers prepare for a 3-game road trip with matchups against SUNY Niagara, Hudson Valley, and Corning. The Lakers are back in action tomorrow Thursday, April 17th at SUNY Niagara in Sanborn, N.Y. at 3 PM.