Homeruns and Grand Slams Lead Utica, Elmira and Fisher to Two Wins
UTICA v ITHACA
Junior Chelsea Monroe hit a grand slam in each game to help the Utica College softball team sweep league-leader Ithaca College 8-7 and 12-8 in Empire 8 action. The wins marked the first time in program history that Utica has beaten Ithaca.
Utica 8, Ithaca 7- Game One Final
The Pioneers jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the second inning as senior Dominique Carcone singled to score classmate Mallory Ingalls. Then, just three batters later, Monroe hit a grand slam to left center to pad the Pioneer lead.
The Bombers were able to score four runs over the next two innings, but the Pioneers rebounded with three runs as Ingalls, Bridgette Plummer, and Alysa Russell drove in a run each.
Ithaca added three runs in the top of the sixth to come within one, but it was not enough as the Pioneer defense held on for the win.
Freshman Abby Monroe picked up the win, while classmate Erica Colucci and sophomore Cassidy Thompson also saw action. Thompson collected her third save of the season.
Russell and Bridgette Plummer each went 3-for-4 in game one. Carcone, Cassie Smith and Chelsea Monroe had two hits apiece and Ingalls, Christy Traglia, and Meghan Matan also had hits.
Utica 12, Ithaca 8- Game Two Final
Once again, the Pioneers jumped out to an early lead, 3-0 after two innings, however the Bombers were able to even the score 3-3 after the third. Chelsea Monroe regained the lead with her second grand slam of the day, and conference-best eighth home run on the season.
Mallory Ingalls, Dominique Carcone, and Christy Traglia were all 2-for-4 on the day, while Ingalls had a three-run homer, her fifth of the year. Cassie Smith, Bridgette Plummer, and Chelsea Monroe each had two hits and Alysa Russell added one hit and two runs scored.
Abby Monroe struck out two and allowed five hits to pick up her conference-best 12th win of the season. Erica Colucci fanned three in three innings of work.
UC returns to action Sunday as it hosts Stevens Institute of Technology in the final conference games of the regular season. The Pioneers have a shot at winning their first ever Empire 8 regular season championship. First game is scheduled for 1 p.m.
ELMIRA v STEVENS
The EC Softball team was able to hit a two-run homerun, a grand slam and a walk-off triple to sweep Stevens Institute of Technology, 9-0 and 3-2, Saturday afternoon at Eldridge Park Stadium on the Class of 2013 Recognition Day. The Soaring Eagles improve to 17-7 overall and 7-3 in the Empire 8, while Ducks fall to 5-29 overall and 2-10 in the conference.
The Soaring Eagles came out ready to play in the opening game with
Megan Anderson '15 hitting a two-run blast in the first inning to get an early lead. In the bottom of the third EC extended its lead by three when
Katie Day '16 earned a RBI walk and
Katie Hobson '13 hit a two-run single. In the bottom of the fourth inning Elmira secured the game one victory when
Jacquelyn Heggie '16 notched her first career Grand Slam as a Soaring Eagle.
In game two EC struggled at first not finding its rhythm from the plate. The Ducks were able to get on the board first when Danielle DeFeo scored on a ground out hit by Kelsey Dempsey. Elmira couldn't get through with a run until the bottom of the sixth when
Alex Andrade '13 hit a RBI single scoring
Alex Puglisi '14, who started off the rally with a double to left field. In the top of the seventh, things got interesting when Clair Strom homered over the left field fence to give Stevens a 2-1 lead. However, the Soaring Eagles didn't count themselves out just yet.
Heggie started off the bottom of the seventh with a double to left field.
Hobson kept the inning going with a single past the shortstop. Coming in clutch for the Purple and Gold was two year shortstop
Katie Dore '15 who hit a walk off triple to right field.
Puglisi earned two more victories on the mound for EC improving to 12-4 on the season. In the 12 innings pitched today, she allowed four hits and two earned runs, while striking out 13 batters.
The Softball team will look to continue its success tomorrow when they face conference rival Ithaca College at Kostrinsky Field. Game one of the doubleheader will start at 1:00 p.m., while Game two will start at 3:00 p.m.
ST. JOHN FISHER v ALFRED
The St. John Fisher College softball team picked up two key wins against Empire 8 opponent Alfred University on Senior Day at Fisher's field. With the two wins, Fisher guarantees itself a spot in the Empire 8 Conference Championship. The Cardinals move to 24-11 on the year and 9-4 in the Empire 8, while Alfred falls to 17-13, 7-5.
Game One: Fisher 1, Alfred 0
Designated player
Danielle Leone scored the lone run of the game after she led the third inning off with a double to left center. Leone, who normally pitches for the Cardinals, was brought in with two outs by
Meghan Burns with a single to right field.
Sarah Stefanon kept the Saxons off the board with a complete game shutout, pitching 12 strikeouts and allowing just two hits in the game.
Game Two: Fisher 6, Alfred 1
Jessie Smyrski got Fisher on the board early on when the Cardinals' second batter sent a solo shot over the center field wall in the bottom of the first.
The Cardinals capitalized again in the second inning. After getting runners on second and third, the Saxons elected to intentionnaly walk
Krista Robarge bringing up Fisher's ninth hitter in
Kate Disbrow. Disbrow hit a shallow single to right field that, although caught, allowed
Sarah Fordyce to tag at third and score. The Saxons tried to make the play at home, but Fordyce's slide knocked the ball loose from the catcher, making it 2-0.
After singling on another short hit, Disbrow crossed the plate in the fourth inning to put Fisher up by three. Burns came through with a deep double to center field, her second RBI of the day.
In the fifth inning,
Lindsey Holtz gave the Cardinals even more of a cushion with a two-out double to left field that scored
Leanne Merchant, who reached on balls, and
Kayla Goodberlet who led the inning off with a single.
The Cardinals added one more in the sixth when Smyrski's hit was dropped by the center fielder, allowing Disbrow to score from third. Disbrow reached on a walk, was pushed to second on a sacrifice bunt by Burns and moved to third on a passed ball.
The Saxons scored their only run in the top of the seventh, but Maressa Mistretta's solo home run was for naught.
Stefanon went back-to-back in the circle on Saturday, pushing her season record to 13-4. The senior struck out another seven batters in game two, her final game on Fisher's field.
Goodberlet led Fisher with four hits on the day, including three in the second game. Eight other Cardinals added hits, with Burns, Smyrski and Leone registering one in each game.
Fisher will return to action on Sunday when they finished Friday's halted game at Nazareth. Fisher will enter the game on the field, up 5-0 in the second inning over the hosts.