Alfred, Elmira and Ithaca Takes a Pair; Houghton Splits
ALFRED v NAZARETH
The Alfred University softball team swept an Empire 8 Conference doubleheader at Nazareth College Tuesday afternoon, twice rallying from early one-run deficits.
Alfred took the opener, 8-4, scoring twice in the fifth to erase a 4-3 deficit, then plated five runs in the fourth to break a 1-1 tie on its way to a 9-1 five-inning win in the second game.
In the first game, Alfred led 3-0 before Nazareth scored four in the bottom of the fourth off AU senior starter
Alison Wickwire (Towanda, PA/Towanda). Freshman
Shannon Schaefer (Westfield, NJ/Westfield) came in to get the final out of the inning. After AU took a 5-4 lead with a pair of runs in the fifth, sophomore
Sophia Chiavatti (Austin, CA/Foothills) came in and tossed three innings of three-hit scoreless relief for the save as Schaefer improved to 5-0 on the year.
Red hot sophomore third baseman
Liz Thompson (Horseheads, NY/Horseheads) got Alfred's bats going in the first with a homerun. The solo shot was her ninth of the year and eighth in the last nine games. Alfred added a run in second when junior shortstop
Nicole Maher (Newark, DE/Caravel Academy) scored from third on a fielder's choice. In the fourth, the Saxons made it 3-0 when Chiavatti, who had doubled, scored on a single by senior outfielder
Alyson Hampton (Oxnard, CA/Oxnard).
With AU trailing by a run in the top of the fifth, junior second baseman
Dana Torchia (Pompton Plains, NJ/Pequannock Twp.) was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Wickwire doubled her to third before junior
Jasmine Picini (Alexandria, VA/West Potomac) drove in the tying and winning runs with a double.
AU added a run in the sixth and two in the seventh to close out the scoring.
The Saxons banged out 12 hits, as Chiavatti finished 3-for-4 with three doubles, two runs scored and an RBI. Her first double gave her 15 on the season, tying the school record set in 2010 by Molly Shepherd. Her second broke the record and her third gave her 17 on the year. Thompson went 2-for-5 with a run scored and two driven in, while Hampton was 2-for-4 with a triple, a run and three RBIs.
Wickwire allowed four earned runs on three hits over 3 2/3 innings, striking out three and walking five before she was relieved by Schaefer. Wickwire's double was the 38
th of her career, extending her school record.
In the second game, Naz scored a run in the first to take the early lead before AU tied it up in fourth. Torchia stroked a one-out double and came in to score on a Picini double. The Saxons exploded for five runs in the fifth. After Schaefer scored on an error, freshman
Haley Powers (Newark, DE/St. Georges Tech) belted her first career homerun, a two-run shot, to put Alfred up 4-1. One batter later, Wickwire hit a two-run blast of her own to put the Saxons up five. It was Wickwire's 13
th homer of the year, extending her school single-season record, and 23
rd of her career, which ties the AU career record set by Jesika LeBarron (2007-10).
AU closed out the scoring with three runs in the fifth. Hampton hit an RBI single to make it 7-1 and junior outfielder
Samantha Jauregui gave an eight-run cushion with a one-out two-run double.
The Saxons' 15-hit attack was more than enough support for freshman starting pitcher
Kerri Keeler (Jamesville, NY/Jamesville-DeWitt). She scattered six hits over five innings, allowing an earned run and striking out six to improve to 9-0.
Jauregui was 3-for-4 with a run and three RBIs; Torchia hit a pair of doubles and scored a run; Powers had two hits, scored a run and drove in two; Schaefer was 2-for-2 with a double and a run; and Wickwire was 2-for-4.
ITHACA v Rochester
The Ithaca College softball team defeated Rochester twice Tuesday night, dropping the YellowJackets by a score of 1-0 in game one, before winning game two, 6-4. The sweep helped head coach
Deb Pallozzi reach the 750-win plateau, as the pair of victories pushed her record at Ithaca College to 751-365-1. This year marks
Pallozzi's 27th season at the helm of the Bombers. As a team, the Bombers are now 17-11 overall this season, with a standing mark of 9-3 in the Empire 8 after the non-conference victories.
Junior
Laura Quicker picked up the complete-game shutout victory in game one. She allowed just three hits and struck out five over 7.0 innings to move her record to 9-7 in the circle.
Freshman
Allie Colleran paced the Bombers with two hits in three at-bats, collecting a pair of singles on the day. Senior
Francesca Busa collected the lone-extra base hit with a double. She also accounted for the lone RBI in the contest.
The Bombers scored the only run they would need in the top of the third frame. Colleran started the inning with a single, before stealing second to get in scoring position. Busa doubled to right field in the following at-bat, scoring Colleran to give Ithaca the 1-0 lead.
A pitcher's duel carried the game from there, as neither team gave up a run in the final four innings. Ithaca's early run held as the game-winner, giving Ithaca the 1-0 victory in game one.
Junior
Allison Macari got the call in game two and picked up the victory to help Ithaca to the sweep. She allowed just three earned runs and recorded six strikeouts, moving her record to 8-4 on the season.
Junior
Casey Gavin led Ithaca with two hits in the contest, including a home run. She scored three runs and recorded two RBI. Senior
Nicole Ciricillo also had a solid outing at the plate, going 1-for-3 with a double and two RBI.
The Bombers got the bats going early, as they scored the game's first two runs on two hits in the top of the first. Gavin's two-run homer accounted for the damage, giving Ithaca the 2-0 lead.
After the YellowJackets got one back in the bottom of the frame, the Bombers answered with three more runs in the top of the fourth. With runners at second and third, senior
Monica Capolongo recorded a bunt single to advance both runners and score the first run of the inning. A two-RBI double from Ciricillo in the following at-bat capped the scoring, giving Ithaca a 5-1 lead.
Ithaca scored its final run in the top of the fifth. Back-to-back two-out singles from Gavin and junior
Kelly Robichaud started the offensive push, before junior
Jenna Tambasco sent a pinch-hit single to center field. Tambasco's hit scored Gavin from third, and pushed Ithaca's lead to 6-1.
Although Rochester was able to add three runs in the remaining innings, it would not be enough as the Bombers came away with the 6-4 game-two victory.
ELMIRA v Morrisville
The Elmira College softball team extended their win streak to four games with a two-game sweep of Morrisville State this afternoon. EC took the first game 6-2 before downing the Mustangs 6-0 in the nightcap.
Ashley Palmer '16 had a strong day at the plate, going 5-for-8 with two doubles, driving in one run, and scoring five runs.
Emily Carlin'17 was 3-for-5 with two RBI, while
Jacquelyn Heggie '16 was 4-for-7 with two runs scored. The Soaring Eagles got dominating performances from its too starting pitchers as
Marisa Bernardi'18 and Carlin each picked-up victories. Bernardi gave up two runs, one of which was earned, on three hits and three walks, while striking out three in her game one win. Carlin scattered four hits and struck out two Mustangs over seven innings for her complete game shutout.
In game one, the Soaring Eagles used a pair of Mustang errors to plate two runs during a two-out, first inning rally. EC gave one of those runs back to Morrisville State in the second inning as a throwing error by
Marisa Bernardi '18 allowed a run to come across. The Mustangs recorded two quick outs in the bottom half of the second inning, but EC's bats again came alive as back-to-back doubles by
Chelsea Storch '18 and
Jacquelyn Heggie '16 gave Elmira yet another two-run lead as Storch came around to score.
After giving up an unearned run in the second inning, Bernardi settled in and went three-up-three-down in both the third and fourth innings. In the meantime, Bernardi's teammates were adding to their run total. EC scored one run in the bottom of the third and two runs in the bottom of the fourth to break-open a 6-1 lead. Morrisville State would score their second run in the top of the fifth inning, but Bernardi would allow just three baserunners the rest of the way as she closed out the 6-2, complete game victory.
The Heggie sisters led off game two with consecutive singles, but an error by Morrisville's left field allowed
Jacquelyn Heggie to come around to score and put Julianne on second base. Palmer beat out a bunt single to put runners on the corners and then Carlin brought Heggie in with a sacrifice fly to right field. After
Kelsey Condidorio'18 popped out to the pitcher,
Hannah Lundgren'18 reached on an error allowing Palmer to score the third run of the inning.
After a scoreless second inning, Elmira would add the first of two third-inning runs after Condidorio doubled home Palmer, giving EC a 4-0 lead. Then, two batters later,
Samantha Hawksley '16 singled up the middle to bring Condidorio home.
Carlin continued to deal as she did not allow a Morrisville player to advance past second base through the entire game. Meanwhile, the Soaring Eagles tacked on their final run of the game in the sixth inning as an error by the second baseman allowed
Jacquelyn Heggie to cross the plate for EC's sixth and final run.
HOUGHTON v Alfred State
The Houghton College softball team lost game one 5-4 in extra innings, but won game two by the score of 8-4 against the Alfred State Pioneers in Alfred, NY.
In game one the Highlanders were led by
Bailey Shattell(Syracuse, NY, Faith Heritage) and
Gabrielle Brewster (Oneida, NY, Vernon-Verona Sherrill). Shattell went two for the three and Brewster went one for four with two RBI. In the circle
Morgan York (Canisteo, NY, Canisteo-Greenwood) pitched five and one third innings only allowing three earned runs and struck out five Alfred batters. The loss was handed to
Jessica Hayner (Waterford, NY, Shenendehowa) and Taylor McCarthy was credited with the win.
In game two
Adrienne Huston (New Waterford, OH, Crestview High School),
Sarah Beirne (Port Jervis, NY, Port Jervis), and
Carolin Strasswimmer (Greenwich, NY, Greenwich/Adirondack CC). Huston went two for four with an RBI, Beirne went two for four with two RBI, and Strasswimmer went one for three with two RBI. York was credited with the win and Rebecca Hanrahan was given the loss.
The split made the Highlanders 4-23 on the year and Alfred 7-19.
In game one the Pioneers got on the board first scoring one run in the bottom of the first inning.
After two scoreless innings the Highlanders regained the lead in the top of the fourth. Hayner's single to left scored Shattell from third. Brewster then hit a ground ball to first and a Pioneer error allowed Beirne to score from second. Later in the inning Huston came up with two outs and hit a RBI triple that scored cleared the bases and gave the Highlanders a 3-1 lead.
In the bottom of the sixth the Pioneers scored two runs on three hits to tie the game up at three runs apiece.
After a scoreless seventh inning the game went into extra innings. The international rule put Shattell on second to start off the inning. Beirne laid down the sacrifice bunt to advance Shattell to third. Brewster followed that up with a single into center field that scored Shattell, but the Highlanders failed to score another run.
The Pioneers scored two in the bottom half of the inning winning in walk off fashion.
In game two the Pioneers scored one run in the bottom of the first and added another in the third to take a 2-0 lead.
In the top of the fourth the Highlanders took advantage of three Alfred errors scoring five runs on three hits. The scoring outburst was highlighted by Beirne's RBI single to left field that scored
Rebecca Rex (Dansville, NY, Dansville) and Hayner's bunt for a hit that scored Beirne from third.
Alfred scored one run in the bottom of the fourth and one in the fifth to make cut the Highlanders lead to just one run.
The Highlanders responded in the sixth when Strasswimmer and Huston hit RBI singles to take a 7-4 lead.
In the seventh the Highlanders added on one more insurance run when Beirne hit a sac fly that scored York from third.