Softball | 5/9/2023 6:57:00 PM
PITTSFORD, NY – The Elmira College Softball team, which has completed its fair share of comebacks this season, pulled off the most important of the 2023 campaign on Tuesday afternoon. The No. 5 seed Soaring Eagles (20-17) erased a 4-2 deficit by scoring five runs in the top of the seventh inning to defeat the No. 4 Nazareth College Golden Flyers (14-17), 7-5 in the opening round of the 2023 Empire 8 Softball Championship Tournament. The Soaring Eagles will head to the double elimination bracket with a matchup set against top-seed and host Alfred University on Thursday at 4:30 p.m.
Hannah Flagg would pace the Purple & Gold offensively after a 3-for-3 afternoon (2 RBI) which included a two-run single in the seventh to knot the contest at 4-4. Additionally, Amelia Martin would go 2-for-4 with three RBI, which included an RBI single in the seventh, one of which would go down as the eventual game-winning run.
GAME INFORMATION:
SCORE: Elmira 7, Nazareth 5
TEAM RECORDS: Elmira (20-17, 8-8 Empire 8), Nazareth (14-17, 8-8 Empire 8)
LOCATION: Pittsford, New York | Flyer Field
W|L|S: J. Cortez (W, 4-1) | E. Daciw (L, 11-6) | None
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Martin and Asia Curkendall '25 would each single for the Soaring Eagles to begin the contest, but Nazareth starting pitcher Emily Daciw would work out of early trouble, as the Soaring Eagles stranded a pair of runners on base after Daciw retired each of the next three batters for Elmira. EC starting pitcher Maryann Sobel would work a one-two-three inning in her first inning on the mound, as the game would remain scoreless after one.
- After a quiet second for both teams in which the Soaring Eagles left another runner on base following a walk from Flagg, Elmira would be first to strike in the third as a fielding error for the Golden Flyers and a bunt single from Curkendall put a pair in scoring position. From there, Kaitlyn Belmont would bring home the first run of the contest on a sacrifice fly to put Elmira ahead 1-0.
- Sobel would face trouble in the third inning as the Golden Flyers went on to score three runs, with the first five runners reaching base safely to put Nazareth ahead 3-1. Nazareth's Sarah SImmons drove in a pair of rund during the rally.
- After Jillian Cortez doubled down the leftfield line to begin the fourth, she would reach third following a single from Flagg before Emma Whalen (who pinch ran for Cortez), would score on a sacrifice fly from Martin to trim the Elmira deficit to 3-2.
- After retiring the first two batters in the bottom half of the fourth, Sobel would be lifted from the game as Madison Lodowski came on in relief. Sobel's day would finish after 3.2 innings, where she allowed three runs (all earned) on six hits, while striking out a pair.
- The fifth inning would go quiet before the Golden Flyers added a sixth inning run on an RBI single, which lifted Lodowski from the contest. She would finish her afternoon going 1.2 innings, where she allowed one run (earned) on a pair of hits while facing seven batters. Cortez would come on in relief and worked around a hit to retire the final two batters in the inning.
- In the seventh, the Elmira offense would come alive, pushing for five runs on four hits while taking advantage of a critical Nazareth error. After Madison Brown-Bloom singled to begin the frame, Distefano would reach safely after an error from the Golden Flyers, putting a pair on base before a wild pitch put the pair into scoring position before a walk from Cortez loaded the bases.
- With one away, Flagg would deliver with a single into the outfield, which brought home Brown-Bloom and Distefano to tie the game at 4-4.
- From there, Arian Wilcox would deliver her biggest hit of the season, a single back up the middle, which brought home Cortez to give EC the lead back at 5-4. One batter later, it would be Martin who would drive a double to the gap, scoring another pair of runners and putting Elmira ahead 7-4.
- The Golden Flyers would work a seventh inning run on a hit and a Soaring Eagle error, but Cortez would close the door and finish her afternoon earning the win in relief after 1.2 innings, where she allowed one run (unearned), on two hits, while walking one and striking out a pair.
UP NEXT:
Elmira returns to the field on Thursday when heading to Alfred University to begin the double-elimination bracket format of the Empire 8 Tournament. The Soaring Eagles are slated to take on the Saxons in its first game, beginning at 4:30 p.m. All games of the tournament will be held on the campus of Alfred University.
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
www.empire8.com.
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