Utica and Nazareth Split Two Games
Utica, NY
Utica, N.Y. (4/29/2011) – The Utica College softball team split an Empire 8 Conference double header with visiting Nazareth College Friday afternoon at Greenman Field. The Pioneers lost a nail biter, 4-3, in game one, before exploding for a convincing 14-3 rule-rule shortened game two victory. Sophomore first baseman Bridgette Plummer led the way for UC going 4-for-7 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Freshman Allie Jennings had a career day, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored in game two.
The Pioneers (16-17, 3-9 Empire 8) fell behind 3-0 early in game one, and could not get their bats going until it was too late, as Nazareth (5-25, 1-9 Empire 8) led the entire contest and earned the one run victory. The Pioneers cut the visitors lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the third inning when Plummer tripled to right field, scoring senior Kim Martin.
Naz went on to score one more run in the top of the sixth inning to increase its lead to 4-1 before the Pioneers made their final push. Freshman Kristie Jones and junior short stop Jess Anson each drove in one run in the bottom of the sixth to cut the Golden Flyers lead to one, 4-3. However, Nazareth pitcher Casey Mathers was able to hang on for the victory. Mathers finished game one with six strikeouts.
Utica junior pitcher Heather Kingsbury struck out five in her seventh loss of the season.
Game two proved to be a completely different story as the Pioneers tacked on nine runs in the first two innings and never looked back as they earned the 14-3 victory in five innings. Five different Pioneers posted at least two hits in game two and they took advantage of five Nazareth errors to earn the convincing 11-run victory. Junior hurler Haley Butler went all five innings for Utica, striking out one, as she earned her third win of the year.
Martin went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and one RBI in game two, while sophomore Mallory Ingalls also went 2-for-3 at the dish with a team-high three runs scored. Jones and Plummer each finished game two with two hits, while sophomore Hannah Barton went 1-for-4 with two RBIs. Senior captain Claire Gerlach posted one hit, two RBIs and one run scored.
Jones finished the day going 3-for-6 with three runs scored and one RBI over the course of both games, while Martin added three hits of her own.