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Ithaca, NY (April 12, 2014) – Utica College senior Chelsea Monroe (Watertown, NY/General Brown) hit her third grand slam in four career games against Ithaca College to lead the visiting Pioneers to a 9-6 Empire 8 Conference victory over the Bombers in game two of a doubleheader at Kostrinsky Field on Saturday. The Pioneers lost game one, 7-3, and their record is now 12-5 overall and 1-1 in conference play. Ithaca is now 14-6 overall and 3-1 in the E8.

Monroe finished the day going 4-for-8 with four RBIs and three runs scored. Her game changing grand slam capped a seven-run fourth inning in game two to give the Pioneers a 7-4 lead that they would not relinquish. Cassie Smith (Delmar, NY/Bethlehem Central) went 5-for-7 with two RBIs and one run scored on the afternoon, while Courtney Fitzgerald (Albany, NY/Colonie Central) went 3-for-7 with two RBIs and one run scored. Sophomore shortstop Alysa Russell (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) extended her hitting streak to 14 games after tallying one hit in each contest.

Ithaca 7, Utica 3 – Game One Final

Ithaca jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back as the Bombers earned the 7-3 victory in game one of the conference double header on Saturday afternoon.

UC threatened with one run in the third and two more in the fifth, but the Bombers kept the pressure on all game to earn the four run victory.

Chelsea Monroe (Watertown, NY/General Brown), Courtney Fitzgerald (Albany, NY/Colonie Central) and Cassie Smith (Delmar, NY/Bethlehem Central) each registered two hits for the Pioneers in game one.  Fitzgerald earned two RBI's after a single in the fifth inning scored Christy Traglia (Mohawk, NY/Mohawk) and Monroe.  Monroe scored two of the Pioneers' three runs in the first game. 

Alysa Russell (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) registered one hit and also drove in a run on a sacrifice fly in the third inning for the Pioneers.

Abby Monroe (Watertown, NY/General Brown) and Erica Colucci (Glenville, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) each pitched three innings for UC.  Monroe started the game and gave up four earned runs, while Colucci came on in relief and allowed just one run and struck out three.  A. Monroe's record moved to 8-3 on the year after the loss.

Ithaca sophomore Casey Gavin went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and one RBI, while senior Sydney Folk added two hits and two RBI's in the Bomber's game one victory.

Utica 9, Ithaca 6 – Game Two Final

After trailing 4-0 early for the second straight game, the Pioneers exploded for seven runs in the top of the fourth -- led by Monroe's grand slam -- to take a 7-4 lead.  Ithaca scored two runs in the fifth and trailed by just one, 7-6, but the Pioneers were able to manufacture one run in each of the sixth and seventh innings to secure the three run victory.

Colucci pitched five innings and struck out two to put the Pioneers in position to win game two. A. Monroe pitched two innings of tremendous relief work, holding Ithaca scoreless, to earn the save.

Chelsea Monroe (Watertown, NY/General Brown) finished game two going 2-for-4 with four RBIs, while Smith went 3-for-4 with two RBI's. Alysa Russell (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) went 2-for-4 with one run scored in game two, while senior Meghan Matan (Latham, NY/Shaker) went 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored.

UC snapped a six game winning streak after the loss in the opener of the double header. The Pioneers return to the diamond on Sunday when they travel to Hoboken, NJ to continue conference play against Stevens Institute of Technology.  The first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.