Elmira Bows Out of ECAC Metro-Upstate Tournament in 10 Inning Heartbreaker
Galloway, NJ -- In the championship round of play at the 2014 ECAC Metro-Upstate Softball Tournament, the Elmira College softball team looked to begin their championship run with a win against Stockton College, a team EC lost to a day ago. The Soaring Eagles jumped out to a 4-0 lead but would see the Osprays chip away at the lead and eventually win it in 10 innings, eliminating Elmira from tournament play. With the loss, Elmira concludes the 2014 season with a 17-15 overall record.
After recording just one hit in their meeting a day ago, the Soaring Eagles tripled their hitting production in just the first inning and finished the game with nine hits.
Katie Dore '15 recorded the game's first hit, smashing a solo home run, her fourth homer of the season to give Elmira a 1-0 lead.
In the same inning, Elmira's
Megan Anderson '15 reached safely on an error before
Ashley Palmer '16 reached on an infield single, putting two EC runners on base with two outs. EC's next batter,
Katie Day '15, would make good on her first plate appearance, driving a pitch into center field to score both Anderson and Palmer, giving the Purple and Gold a commanding 3-0 lead through the first inning.
Elmira extended their lead to 4-0 in the third inning when the Soaring Eagles loaded the bases, allowing
Krystal Bupp '14 to slap an RBI single, scoring Palmer from third. For Palmer, it was her second run scored of the day.
Stockton cut the Soaring Eagle lead in half on a two-out two-run home run by Samantha Shockey in the bottom of the third inning. The Osprays' bats would remain quiet until the bottom of the sixth when three consecutive hits were capped off by a two-run double, tying things up at 4-4. Stockton's late rally would force a pitching change for Elmira as
Alex Puglisi '14 stepped into the pitcher's circle with no outs and a runner on second. Puglisi would eventually get out of the inning without allowing a single run.
The seventh inning would come and go without a run being scored by either team, forcing extra innings. Elmira put a runner on third base with one out in the eighth inning but would be unable to bring her home as the next two batters struck out.
Stockton had a chance to score the winning run in the bottom of the eighth as they put runners on the corners with two outs. However, Puglisi would get the next batter to line out to Dore as the game entered the ninth inning.
With a runner on second, Elmira took an aggressive approach on the base paths, giving speedster
Jacquelyn Heggie '16 the green light to steal third. Unfortunately, EC's gamble would not pay off as Heggie was thrown out at third before Elmira's next two batters would be retired, keeping the game at a 4-4 standstill.
Then, things got interesting in the bottom of the ninth. Stockton's Gianna Cuffari poked one into left center field, a hit that was nearly robbed by Heggie. On the hit, Stockton waved Victoria Conklin, who started the inning on second base, around third only see her tagged out on a great effort by EC catcher
Gillian Gravel '14. With the game extended, Elmira's defense would hold strong and get the next two batters to ground out to Dore, forcing a 10th inning.
In the 10th, Elmira was held without a run and was one out away from escaping the 10th without surrendering a run but a two-run walk-off home run by Nicole Scanlon would give the Osprays a 6-4 win. With the loss, Elmira was eliminated from the 2014 ECAC Metro-Upstate Tournament.
Emilie Rogers '14 got the start for Elmira in the circle today, striking out eight batters in five-plus innings of work. Puglisi would toss 4.2 innings, allowing two runs while striking out two batters.