Utica, NY (4/26/12)- The Utica College softball team looks to improve its league standing, Thursday, as it hosts Empire 8 opponent Elmira College.

Game Time: The double-header is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. at Greenman Field

Last Time Out: UC is fresh off a split at RPI… The Pioneers dropped the first game by a score of 6-0 before rebounding to knock off the Engineers 7-6… Mallory Ingalls (Oriskany, NY/Oriskany) went 5-for-7 on the day with three runs scored and one RBI, while sophomore Kristie Jones (Brewerton, NY/Paul V Moore) went 2-for-4 with a team-best three RBI… Seniors Jess Anson (Utica, NY/Proctor) and Haley Butler (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) also had impressive showings… Anson went 3-for-7 with two runs scored and one RBI, while Butler pitched 4.2 innings and picked up the win for UC.

Where We Sit: The Pioneers are currently 20-15 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 (20-15 overall, 2-6 E8) in fifth… Nazareth (8-24 overall, 1-7 E8) and Elmira (8-14 overall, 2-8 E8) round out the standings.

Ingalls Heating Up: Junior Mallory Ingalls (Oriskany, NY/Oriskany) ranks second on the team in hits (42), home runs (four), RBI (22), runs scored (28), batting average (.350), and slugging percentage (.525)… She currently has a 12-game hitting streak and a .535 batting average over those 12 games.

Hot Hitting: Seven different Pioneers have a batting average above .300… Junior Meghan Matan (Latham, NY/Shaker) leads the team with a .454 average and 16 stolen bases… Freshman Courtney Fitzgerald (Albany, NY/Colonie Central) is leading the team with 27 RBI and five home runs while third in batting with a .336 average…  Freshman Christy Traglia (Mohawk, NY/Mohawk) has stepped up in her first year campaign as she ranks third in on base percentage (.376), and fourth in batting average (.330)... Traglia is also a perfect 9-for-9 on steal attempts.

In the Circle: Senior Heather Kingsbury (Williamson, NY/Williamson) leads the team with ten wins on the season… She has compiled a 3.04 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 94.1 innings pitched for the Pioneers… Freshman Briona Enny (Queensbury, NY/Queensbury) is 4-4 on the season with a 3.39 ERA and 35 strikeouts, while classmate Cassidy Thompson (Bend, OR/West Valley) is 2-2 with a team-leading 2.74 ERA, to go along with her 18 strikeouts, and six saves… Senior Haley Butler (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) has compiled a 4-3 record and a 2.92 ERA… Butler also has a .281 batting average and two stolen bases.

Scouting Elmira: The Soaring Eagles are currently 8-14 overall and 2-8 in the Empire 8…  They are coming off two one-run losses to Drew University, 1-0 and 6-5… They are led by junior Alex Andrade who has a .395 batting average in 18 games this season… The Pioneers are 11-5 against Elmira dating back to 2003… Last year, the teams split, with UC winning the first game 6-5, before dropping the second one 8-7… Mallory Ingalls (Oriskany, NY/Oriskany) totaled three hits, four RBI, and three runs scored on the day.

Return to the Diamond: UC returns to action Saturday as it hosts Alfred University for the final home games of the regular season… The Empire 8 double-header is scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. at Greenman Field.


                                               --- www.ucpioneers.com ---