Utica, NY (4/23/13)- The Utica College softball team returns to action Wednesday as it hosts RPI for a non-conference double header.  Game time is set for 3:30 p.m.

Weekend Recap:  The Pioneers are coming off an Empire 8 weekend sweep of Ithaca College and Stevens Institute of Technology…  On Saturday, UC downed Ithaca 8-7 and 12-8 to pick up its first wins against the Bombers in program history…  Junior Chelsea Monroe (Watertown, NY/General Brown) was 4-for-6 on the day and hit grand slams in back-to-back games… Alysa Russell (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) and Bridgette Plummer (Saratoga Springs, NY/Schuylerville) each had five hits over the two games, and freshman Cassie Smith (Delmar, NY/Bethlehem Central) was 4-for-5… Senior Dominique Carcone (Frankfort, NY/New Hartford) also added four hits and one stolen base on the day… On Sunday, Utica picked up two run-rule victories over Stevens Institute of Technology, 10-2 and 15-0… Bridgette Plummer (Saratoga Springs, NY/Schuylerville), Mallory Ingalls (Oriskany, NY/Oriskany) and Courtney Fitzgerald (Albany, NY/Colonie Central) combined for 12 runs and eight runs batted in… The trio posted an impressive 13-for-20 day, including four home runs, while freshman Abby Monroe (Watertown, NY/General Brown) posted a career-high nine strikeouts for her league-leading 13th win of the year.

Atop the Empire 8:  With the wins on Sunday, the Pioneers picked up their first Empire 8 regular season title in program history and clinched the No. 1 seed and hosting rights for the conference Tournament on May 3 and 4… Utica leads the conference in hits (314), RBI (206), and home runs (39)… Eight different players have at least one home run… Junior Chelsea Monroe (Watertown, NY/General Brown) leads the team with nine homers, followed by Fitzgerald with eight, Ingalls with seven, and Plummer with six… Freshman Alysa Russell (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) has hit five over the fence, while Meghan Matan (Latham, NY/Shaker) has racked up two homers and freshmen Cassie Smith (Delmar, NY/Bethlehem Central) and Taylor Ellis (Willet, NY/Greene) each have one. 

Home Sweet Home: UC is 16-0 at Greenman Field this season… The Pioneers have outscored opponents 161-39 at home so far. 

Monroe is a Monster at the Plate: Junior Chelsea Monroe (Watertown, NY/General Brown) is having a breakout season, leading the conference with nine home runs, and an impressive 1.019 slugging percentage… She batted .474, with three home runs, including two grand slams and racked up 11 RBI last week on her way to earning Empire 8 Player of the Week honors for the second straight week… She needs just one more home run to tie Abby Drew '09 for the College's single-season home run record.

Carcone is Clutch: Senior Dominique Carcone (Frankfort, NY/New Hartford) leads the team and ranks third in the E8 with a .435 batting average… She is also tied with teammate Christy Traglia (Mohawk, NY/Mohawk) for first in the conference in stolen bases (10).

In The Circle: UC has had impressive pitching this season, led by freshmen Abby Monroe (Watertown, NY/General Brown) and Erica Colucci (Glenville, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake)… Monroe has a 13-4 record and ranks third in the conference in ERA (1.94) and fourth in strikeouts (71)… Colucci has appeared in 16 games while striking out 50 batters and collecting a 2.18 ERA… She is tied with teammate Cassidy Thompson (Bend, OR/West Valley) for the conference lead in saves (two)… Meanwhile, sophomore Briona Enny (Queensbury, NY/Queensbury) has racked up an impressive 7-1 record, with a 2.94 ERA while starting nine games.

Scouting RPI: The Engineers are 22-9 overall and 7-3 in the Liberty League Conference… They are coming off a split against U of R, winning 6-5 and falling 5-4… RPI is led by senior Gillian McCarthy who has a .436 average with seven home runs and 31 RBI… UC is 5-7 against the Engineers dating back to 2007… The teams have split the last two seasons… Last year UC dropped the first game 5-0, before rebounding to win 7-6 in the second contest… Senior Mallory Ingalls (Oriskany, NY/Oriskany) went 5-for-7 (two doubles) with three runs scored and one RBI. 

Looking Ahead: The Pioneers return to action Sunday as they face Oswego State… Game time is set for 1 p.m… The Empire 8 Conference Tournament kicks off Friday, May 3 as UC opens up play against Alfred University at 12 p.m. at Utica's Greenman Field.


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