POTSDAM, N.Y. – The SUNY Potsdam softball team received a pair of fantastic pitching efforts and played nearly flawless defense Sunday, but was unable to come up with a win against No. 20 Plattsburgh in a State University of New York Athletic Conference doubleheader at Maxcy Hall.

The Bears (6-8 overall, 0-2 SUNYAC) were downed 2-0 in the first game, followed by a 2-1 defeat in Game 2.

In the second contest, Potsdam outhit Plattsburgh (16-2, 2-0) 7-3 and didn’t commit a single error, but couldn’t string together a rally despite putting a runner on base in five of the seven innings.

“We put ourselves in position to win both games,” Potsdam coach Shannon Dillabough said. “We played much better defensively than yesterday at St. Lawrence. Our pitchers did a great job too. The whole team battled, and we’re heading in the right direction.”

Freshman Ashley Thayer (Winthrop, N.Y.) put together another solid performance on the mound, pitching seven innings and striking out five, but took her second loss of the season against four wins.

Thayer and senior Dana Vollmuth (Great River, N.Y.) posted two hits apiece to lead the Bears, who took an early 1-0 lead when Vollmuth plated Thayer in the bottom of the first on a sharp single to center.

The Cardinals responded with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth, using a run-scoring triple and a wild pitch to take a one-run advantage, a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

In Game 1, the Bears nearly rallied in the seventh inning, putting two runners on with one out, but fell just short of plating a run. Plattsburgh tallied twice in the top of the fifth off pitcher Brittany Pawlowski (West Seneca, N.Y.), who pitched all seven innings and fell to 2-4 on the year with the tough-luck loss.

Vollmuth (Great River, N.Y.) posted two of Potsdam’s five hits to pace the offense. Pawlowski, senior Allison Breivogel (Bellmore, N.Y.) and sophomore Amanda Perry (South Glens Falls, N.Y) registered one hit apiece.

The Bears begin a three-date road stretch this Thursday at SUNY Canton. First pitch of the doubleheader is slated for 2 p.m.