ELMIRA, NY (March 28, 2009) - The Utica College softball team swept host Elmira College in an Empire 8 Conference double header Saturday. The Pioneers won game one 4-1, before crawling back to take game two 5-4. Junior Angel Donaghue ripped a game-winning double in the bottom of the seventh to give UC the victory in game two.

With the win the Pioneers improved to 8-6 overall and 2-0 in Empire 8 play this season and they have now won six straight games. Elmira dropped to 2-2 overall and 0-2 in conference play on the year after sweeping Cazenovia College in their first two games of the season.

In game one, Utica jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Senior first baseman Rinae Olsen tallied two-RBIs after reaching on an error with two runners in scoring position. UC would score two more runs in the third inning when left fielder Abby Drew smashed her first home run of the year with a runner on first. Drew collected her fifth RBI of the season. She is the College's all-time leader with 20 career home runs.

Sophomore pitcher Kristen Levin proved to be too much for the Soaring Eagles throwing seven solid innings and giving up only one run on five hits. Levin won her third game of the season improving her ERA to 4.09.

In game two, the Pioneers kept their bats alive scoring two early runs in the bottom of the first. Freshman catcher Emilia Peluso knocked her team-high third homerun of the season, snatching two RBIs. The Pioneers would add two more runs in the second and third innings off RBI's from Andrea Curley and Rinae Olsen to give UC a comfortable 4-0 lead. After a pitching change in the top of the fifth, Elmira fought back scoring four runs in two innings. Four different players for the Soaring Eagles grabbed an RBI in the fifth and sixth inning, narrowing the Pioneers lead to one run. After a scoreless seventh for Elmira the Pioneers rallied in the bottom of the seventh. Junior Angel Donaghue ripped a walk-off RBI double to give UC the victory.

Andrea Curley started the game pitching four scoreless innings and only giving up one hit on the day. Kristen Levin ended up compiling her fourth win of the season giving up four earned runs in three innings of work.

The Pioneers return to the diamond Monday when they travel to cross- town rivals SUNY IT. The double-header is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m.

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