The Pioneers celebrate after the final out in a 6-1 victory over Elmira to advance to the Empire 8 Tournament Finals
Box Score Utica College 6, Elmira College 1 - Empire 8 Softball Tournament Elmination Game
Utica vs. Elmira - Empire 8 Tournament Gallery
Utica, NY (5/3/2013) – The top-seeded Utica College softball team advanced to the finals of the Empire 8 Conference softball tournament after a convincing 6-1 victory over second seeded Elmira College on Saturday morning at Greenman Field. The Pioneers, who broke the school-record with 32 victories so far this year, will now take on St. John Fisher College in the finals at 1 p.m. UC is making its second conference tournament finals appearance in program-history.
UC freshman pitcher
Abby Monroe (Watertown, NY/General Brown) won her second game of the tournament as she scattered seven hits over the course of the complete game. Monroe has yet to allow an earned run this weekend.
The Pioneers opened the scoring in the bottom half of the second inning when sophomore center fielder
Christy Traglia (Mohawk, NY/Mohawk) ripped a two-RBI single, scoring
Alysa Russell (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) and
Mallory Ingalls (Oriskany, NY/Oriskany) to put the Pioneers on top 2-0. Traglia finished the day going 2-for-3 with two RBIs and one run scored, while Russell went 1-for-3 with one run scored.
Elmira got one run back in the top of the 4th inning, but UC responded in the bottom half with four runs to essentially seal the victory.
Cassie Smith (Delmar, NY/Bethlehem Central) started the Pioneer rally with an RBI single to score
Dominique Carcone (Frankfort, NY/New Hartford), before
Chelsea Monroe (Watertown, NY/General Brown) doubled to left field, scoring two, to put the Pioneers on top by four, 5-1. Carcone went 2-for-3 with one run scored and she is now 5-for-9 with three runs scored in the tournament. Monroe finished the day going 1-for-4 with two RBIs.
Ashley Palmer led the Soaring Eagles with two hits, while Mikayla Bean scored the lone run of the afternoon for Elmira. Junior pitcher Alex Puglisi pitched all six innings for the visitors and struck out two. Puglisi pitched every inning of the tournament for Elmira (28 Inn.)
UC added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning to secure their first Empire 8 Tournament final appearance since 2006 when they squared off against Ithaca College.
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