Utica and Alfred Win Two; Fisher and Ithaca Split
ALFRED v STEVENS
The Alfred University softball team swept a doubleheader from host Stevens Institute of Technology in Empire 8 Conference play Saturday afternoon.
The Saxons (12-10 overall) won the opener, 5-1, and took the second game, 2-1, to improve to 6-2 in league play.
In the opener, sophomore pitcher Jessica O’Sullivan (Habersham, SC/Groton-Dunstable (MA) Regional) struck out nine and allowed a run on four hits to improve to 7-1 on the year, and senior second baseman Maressa Mistretta (Shirley, NY/Longwood) capped a 2-for-3, two-run game with a two-run homerun in the seventh.
After four scoreless innings, AU scored three in the fifth. Stevens cut the Saxon lead to two with a run in the bottom of the sixth before Mistretta’s blast in the seventh gave AU some insurance.
Junior outfielder Samijo Scheer (Corning, NY/Corning East) went 1-for-1 with a run scored and an RBI; sophomore Alison Wickwire (Towanda, PA/Towanda) drove in a run with a bases-loaded walk; and freshman shortstop Nicole Maher (Newark, DE/Caravel Academy) had a hit and scored a run.
In the second game, AU rallied from a run down to score single runs in the fourth and six innings. Sophomore Samantha Jo Muller (Port Jervis, NY/Port Jervis) got the win in relief of O’Sullivan, who started but wound up earning the save.
Senior first baseman Hana Gross (Union, NJ/Union) hit an RBI single in the fourth that scored Maher with the tying run, and Wickwire’s double in the sixth scored Maher with the game-winner. Mistretta was 2-for-4 and freshman catcher Jasmine Picini (Alexandria, VA/West Potomac) and Maher were each 2-for-3.
O’Sullivan started and went 4 2/3 innings before leaving with two on and two outs in the fifth of a 1-1 game. Muller stranded the runners to get out of the jam and after AU took the lead in the sixth, O’Sullivan re-entered in the bottom of the sixth and hurled two scoreless innings to get the save. She allowed a run on seven hits and struck out three.
The Saxons play next on Sunday, April 14, when they host Penn College in a 1 p.m. doubleheader that will mark the opening of Harrington Field, Alfred’s new on-campus field.
UTICA v NAZARETH
Utica, NY (4/13/13)- The Utica College softball team picked up two Empire 8 Conference victories as it swept visiting Nazareth College, 10-1 and 6-2, Saturday afternoon. Senior Bridgette Plummer went 5-for-8 on the day with two home runs.
Utica 10, Nazareth 1 (5 Innings)- Game One Final
UC had three home runs in the first game, off the bats of Bridgette Plummer (two) and Chelsea Monroe. Monroe gave Utica a 1-0 lead with her lead off homer in the bottom of the first. Plummer blasted her first home run in the bottom of the second to score Christy Traglia. She found her way over the fence again in the third for her fourth homer of the year.
Traglia went 3-for-3 with two RBI, while Monroe, Meghan Matan, Alysa Russell, Dominique Carcone, and Taylor Ellis each had one hit. Carcone and Traglia also picked up one stolen base apiece. Nazareth’s lone tally came off a home run from sophomore Sophia Rhoades
Freshman Abby Monroe fanned eight in five innings for her team-best seventh win of the season.
Utica 6, Nazareth 2- Game Two Final
Eight different players recorded at least one hit, and Meghan Matan blasted her second homer of the season to lift UC to victory.
Russell and Carcone each went 2-for-3 on the day, while Plummer was 2-for-4. Matan, Traglia, Ellis, Courtney Fitzgerald, and Cassie Smith also added hits for UC. Junior Sarah Cipperly was 2-for-3, including one home run and two RBI for the Golden Flyers.
Sophomore Briona Enny struck out four in 5.2 innings of work, while Erica Colucci wrapped things up in the final 1.1 innings.
The Pioneers return to action Sunday for an E8 doubleheader against league-leading St. John Fisher College. Game time is set for 1 p.m.
ITHACA v ST. JOHN FISHER
The Ithaca College softball team (14-8, 4-2 Empire 8) split a pair of games in a double header Saturday afternoon against Empire 8 opponent St. John Fisher (17-9, 4-2 Empire 8) at Kostrinsky Field. The Bombers won the first game, which was shortened to five innings due to the scoring margin, 10-2, before falling 4-1 in the second game to the Cardinals. Ithaca returns to conference play Sunday hosting Nazareth for a double header at 1 p.m.
Ithaca 10, St. John Fisher 2 (5 inn.)
Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the first, senior Jen Biondi singled up the middle to bring home
Francesca Busa (St. James/Smithtown East). Rookie
Brooke Powers (Newton, N.J./Pope John XXIII) blasted a two-run homer for a 3-1 lead at the end of the first. The Cardinals cut within 3-2 in the third before Powers again homered to right center, bringing home Biondi, for a 5-2 edge. Following a scoreless fourth, the Bombers collected five fifth-inning runs for the win. Freshman Krystalyn Yonklin scored on a Cardinal throwing error following a
Lindsey Johnson (Manchester, Conn./Manchester) bunt. Senior
Molly O'Donnell (Niskayuna/Niskayuna) stepped to the plate to hit the Bombers' third home run of the day. O'Donnell brought home Johnson and sophomore
Nina Lindberg (Ithaca/Lansing) to lead 9-2. With the bases loaded, St. John Fisher walked Powers to score Busa and end the game.
Junior
Sam Bender (Levittown, Pa./Neshaminy) earned the victory on the mound for the Bombers. Pitching all five innings, she allowed just three hits with a trio of strikeouts.
St. John Fisher 4, Ithaca 1
Fisher's
Sarah Fordyce, who went 3-for-3 in the game, hit a solo home run in the fourth to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead. Ithaca tied in the game in the sixth, but Fisher snapped the tie with three runs in the seventh.
Krista Robarge, who singled to lead off the frame, scored on an RBI-single from
Meghan Burns. Burns and
Jessie Smyrski, who went 3-for-3 in the game, were drove in by senior
Leanne Merchant.
Pitcher
Sarah Stefanon won her eighth straight game. The senior struck out 10 batters, allowing just five hits and her first earned run in nearly 40 innings.