Utica, NY (4/24/12)- The Utica College softball team looks to get back on track, Wednesday, as it travels to Troy, NY to take on non-conference opponent, RPI.

Game Time: The double-header is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m. at Doris Robison Field on the RPI Campus.

Last Time Out: UC is coming off two one-run losses to the University of Rochester last Wednesday… In the first game, UC fell 4-3, before losing 7-6 in game two… Junior Mallory Ingalls (Oriskany, NY/Oriskany) went 3-for-8 with two RBI and one run scored while senior Heather Kingsbury (Williamson, NY/Williamson) gave up just three earned runs as she pitched a complete game one.

Where We Sit: The Pioneers are currently 19-14 overall and 2-6 in the Empire 8 Conference… Ithaca College (20-10 overall, 8-0 E8) sits atop the E8 while Alfred (24-8 overall, 5-1 E8) is second… St. John Fisher (26-9 overall, 7-4 E8) is third while Stevens (12-18 overall, 3-3 E8) is fourth followed by Utica (19-14 overall, 2-6 E8) in fifth… Nazareth (7-23 overall, 1-7 E8) and Elmira (5-9overall, 1-7 E8) round out the standings.

Ingalls Heating Up: Junior Mallory Ingalls (Oriskany, NY/Oriskany) ranks second on the team in hits (37), home runs (4), RBI (21), and runs scored (25)… Ingalls also ranks fourth on the team with a .327 batting average and is third with a .496 slugging percentage… She currently has a ten-game hitting streak and a .500 batting average over those ten games.

Hot Hitting: Seven different Pioneers have a batting average above .300… Junior Meghan Matan (Latham, NY/Shaker) leads the team with a .463 average and 16 stolen bases… Freshman Courtney Fitzgerald (Albany, NY/Colonie Central) is leading the team with 27 RBI and five home runs while second in batting with a .352 average…  Freshman Christy Traglia (Mohawk, NY/Mohawk) has stepped up in her first year campaign as she ranks third in batting average (.333) and on base percentage (.383)... Traglia is a perfect 9-for-9 on steal attempts.

On the Mound: Senior Heather Kingsbury (Williamson, NY/Williamson) leads the team with ten wins on the season… She has compiled a 2.94 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 88 innings pitched for the Pioneers… Freshman Briona Enny (Queensbury, NY/Queensbury) is 4-4 on the season with a 3.27 ERA and 35 strikeouts, while classmate Cassidy Thompson (Bend, OR/West Valley) is 2-2 with a 2.74 ERA, 18 strikeouts, and six saves… Senior Haley Butler (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) has compiled a 3-3 record and a team-leading 2.68 ERA… Butler also has a .271 batting average and one stolen base.

Scouting RPI: The Engineers are currently 23-11 overall and 9-1 in the Liberty League Conference… They are fresh off a sweep of RIT, winning the first game 15-7, and the second 16-2…  RPI is led by senior Sara Heller who has compiled a .409 batting average, five home runs and 33 RBI… UC is 4-6 against the Engineers dating back to 2007… Last year the teams split, with UC winning the first game 5-4, before falling 3-2 in the second game… Mallory Ingalls (Oriskany, NY/Oriskany) went 4-for-8 on the day, including a two-run home run in the first game.

Return to the Diamond: UC returns to action Thursday as it hosts Elmira College for an Empire 8 match up… The double-header is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. at Greenman Field



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