Stevens' Sweeps; Utica Splits
STEVENS
The Stevens Institute of Technology softball team knocked-off the University of Wisconsin-Platteville 7-6 in eight innings before beating Franklin and Marshall College 5-2 to open the 2015 season.
The wins start Stevens at 2-0 while Wisconsin-Platteville and Franklin and Marshall fell to 1-2 and 0-1 respectively.
Stevens 7, Wisconsin-Platteville 6 –
waiting for official box score
Stevens 5, Franklin & Marshall 2
After setting down the side in order in the top of the first, the Ducks put two on the board in the bottom of the inning off a two-run single from sophomore
Jessica Rees. The Diplomats came back with two in the second, but Stevens quickly regained the lead with two in the bottom of the inning.
With freshman
Lauren Shirley at third, junior
Gavriella Risman-Jones hit a sacrifice fly to center to score the Stevens rookie. Junior
Sydney Spitz followed with a grounder to score freshman
Farryl Groder to cap the inning's scoring.
The runs were enough for freshman
Olivia Gemma who allowed just one hit over the next two innings, allowing Stevens to add to the lead in the fourth off a wild pitch. Gemma retired the side in order in the fifth and sixth before working out of a two-on, nobody out situation in the seventh to seal the win.
Gemma scattered three hits over seven innings to earn her first collegiate win while Rees led the Ducks with two RBIs.
UTICA
The Utica College softball team split on the opening day of the DOT Richardson Spring Games in Clermont Florida to kick off its 2015 campaign. The Pioneers defeated Babson College 2-1 in the first game, before falling to Bethel University 9-4 in game two.
Head Coach
Pat Mineo is now just one win away from 200 for his career as he currently sits at 199-172 in just over nine full seasons as the bench boss for the Pioneers. Mineo will look to reach the milestone on Monday as Utica faces University of Wisconsin- River Falls (5 p.m.) and William Patterson University (7 p.m.).
Utica 2, Babson 1- Game One Final
The first game was a pitcher's duel as neither team was able to plate a run until the sixth inning. The Beavers got on the board first in the top of the sixth inning as they converted on two Utica errors.
The Pioneers rebounded, however, in the bottom of the inning as newcomers
Stephanie Siriano(Sauquoit, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) and
Sabrina Stransky (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) each drove in a run. First, Siriano reached on a fielder's choice as
Dominique Soto (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place)scored. Then, a sac fly by Stransky brought in Alyssa Russell to give Utica the 2-1 lead.
That was all the Pioneers needed as the defense shut down Babson to pick up the season-opening win. Junior
Abby Monroe (Watertown, NY/General Brown) had an impressive start to the season as she allowed just two hits and struck out seven in a full seven innings of work.
Utica 4, Bethel (MN) 9- Game Two Final
Errors were costly in the second game as Utica fell to the Bethel University Royals 9-4. Utica got off to a good start, scoring in the first inning as senior
Christy Traglia (Mohawk, NY/Mohawk) scored on a throwing error.
Bethel bounced back in the third inning as senior Kelsey Anderson doubled to left center, scoring two. It was short-lived, however, as a two-run double by junior
Alysa Russell (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville)put Utica back on top in the fourth.
Bethel outscored UC 7-1 in the final three innings to take the victory.
Stephanie Siriano (Sauquoit, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) went 2-for-3 in game two, while
Cassie Smith (Delmar, NY/Bethlehem Central),
Sabrina Stransky (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place), and
Samantha Husak (Jackson, MI/Grass Lake)also had hits. Lindsay Edeen struck out five in seven innings, while
Alaina Wickwire (Towanda, PA/Towanda) and
Brittany Meka (Averill Park, NY/Averill Park) combined for two strikeouts, with Meka shouldering the loss.
Russell finished the day going 4-for-5 with two doubles and two RBI in the two games.