OSWEGO, N.Y. -- Fredonia lost both ends of a SUNYAC softball doubleheader Wednesday with the Oswego State Lakers.

The Lakers took the opener, 5-4, in eight innings, and claimed a 5-1 win in the nightcap -- which ended prematurely due to darkness in the middle of the sixth.

The Blue Devils (11-13 overall / 1-7 SUNYAC) staged a dramatic seventh-inning rally to force extra innings. Down 4-1 with one out, Emily Shellenberger (Philadelphia, Pa.) launched a pinch-hit three-run homer off Oswego's Rebecca Vilchez. It was the first hit allowed by Vilchez, who had pitched 6 1/3 innings of hitless softball. The Blue Devils followed with three straight hits yet could not score the go-ahead run. Katie Yudin (Liverpool, N.Y.) pitched out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the last of the seventh.

Fredonia had runners on second and third with one out in the top of the eighth before Vilchez pitched out of the jam. A hit, an error, a walk, and a sacrifice fly by Oswego's Jessica Roe plated the winning run in the bottom half of the inning. Errors figured into the scoring for both teams. Fredonia made five errors, Oswego three. All four Blue Devil runs were unearned.

In the second game, Oswego broke a 1-1 tie with two runs in the third inning. The Lakers (6-12 overall / 2-2 SUNYAC) tacked on single runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Fredonia's lone run came when Shellenberger walked and eventually scored from third on a double steal. Shellenberger also started in the circle and was tagged with the loss. Yudin and Nikki Lent (Yaphank, N.Y.) had extra-base hits.

Fredonia is scheduled to meet Buffalo State in a doubleheader at home this Saturday at noon, although the game may be moved to Friday due to an unfavorable weather forecast Saturday. Friday's start time would be 3 o'clock. The SUNYAC games carry added importance as part of the Blue Devils' Battle By The Lake series with the Bengals. In addition, the doubleheader with Buffalo State has been designated "Strike Out Cancer" day for the two teams.