The Utica College softball team opened up its four game weekend with a split against conference foe Nazareth College Saturday at Flyer Field. After being shutout in game one to the Golden Flyers 4-0, the Pioneers came back to win game two 5-1. UC is now 10-18 overall and 2-6 in the Empire 8, while Nazareth is 12-12 on the season and 4-4 in the conference.

In game one, Nazareth starting pitcher Kelly Kocher shutdown Utica throwing a complete game, three-hit shutout, including 16 strikeouts and no walks. The Flyers struck a two run lead in the second inning with two solo homeruns off the bats of Polly Muehlenkamp and Brittany Patenaude. In the top of the sixth, UC lead off Kim Martin (Prospect, NY) and shortstop Jackie Gallagher (Cortlandt Manor, NY) had back-to-back two-out singles. However, Kocher was on top of her game striking out the other three batters in the inning on way to her 10th win of the season.

In game two, UC rallied behind sophomore pitcher Haley Butler (New Hartford, NY) en route to its 10th win of the season. The Pioneers offense finally sparked in the third inning when they scored three runs on four hits as Gallagher singled to score junior Madison Dinsmore (Theresa, NY) and Martin. UC added two more insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth as Gallagher hit in Martin for her third RBI of the day, and was brought home on the next at bat when freshman Bridgette Plummer (Saratoga Springs, NY) hit a triple to secure a 5-1 lead. The Pioneers would go to win by the same margin, as Butler pitched seven innings, allowing just two hits and one run.

UC will be back in action tomorrow as they take on host St. John Fisher in a double header with the first game starting at 1 p.m.

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