The Utica College softball team split a pair of games against visiting Elmira College in the Empire 8 Conference opener for both squads at Greenman Field Saturday. The Pioneers rallied from behind to earn the game one victory, 4-3, before falling 4-2 in the night cap. Freshman third baseman Hannah Barton went 3-for-7 at the dish while junior captain Claire Gerlach chipped in with a 2-for-5 performance at the plate over the course of two games.

The Pioneers are now 8-10 overall, while the Soaring Eagles lost their first game of the season and are now 6-1 overall. UC headed into the contest with an eight game winning streak against Elmira dating back to 2005.

Utica came from behind in game one and took a 4-3 lead after posting three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Freshman first baseman Bridgette Plummer got the rally going when she ripped an RBI double to left field to score Kim Martin. After loading the bases, senior Angel Donaghue hit an RBI single to left field to knot the score at 3-3. Freshman Courtney Rainbow added a sacrifice fly – which scored Hannah Barton – to give the Pioneers the lead for good. Junior pitcher Madison Dinsmore pitched a complete game and allowed seven hits, while striking out four, in her fifth victory of the season.

Barton went 3-for-3 in game one while six other Pioneers tallied one hit.

The Pioneers fell into an early 4-0 hole in game two and they could not muster anymore late inning heroics to pull out their second straight win. Freshman shortstop Jackie Gallagher registered an RBI on a sacrifice to score Gerlach and cut the Soaring Eagle lead to 4-2 in the top of the seventh but that was as close as the Pioneers would get.

Sophomore Haley Butler gave up just five hits and two earned runs on the mound for Utica in game two.

The Pioneers return to the field on Tuesday when they travel to local rival Hamilton College for a non conference game at 3:30 p.m.


                    --- www.ucpioneers.com ---