Utica, NY (4/14/14) – The Utica College softball team (13-6, 2-2 E8) returns to Greenman Field Saturday for a double-header against Elmira College starting at 1 p.m.

Last Time Out: Senior Meghan Matan (Latham, NY/Shaker) hit an RBI double in the ninth inning to score the winning run as the Pioneers came from behind in game two to salvage a split with Stevens Institute of Technology in Empire 8 action Sunday afternoon …  Stevens won game one 6-1 before Matan lifted UC to a 5-4 win in game two… Sophomore Cassie Smith (Delmar, NY/Bethlehem Central) went 5-for-8 on the day while Alysa Russell (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) now has a hitting streak of 16 games after posting four hits in the two games… Erica Colucci (Glenville, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) picked up the win in the second game after she struck out four and did not allow a run in the final four innings to collect her fifth win of the season.

Empire 8 Stats: The Pioneers' active bats are keeping them towards the top of the Empire 8 in batting stats…  UC is second in the conference in batting average (.343) and slugging percentage (.509) … No team in the conference has more home runs (15) than the power-hitting Pioneers.

Hitting Streak: Sophomore Alysa Russell (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) has recorded a hit in 16 straight games … She is leading the team in batting average (.492), home runs (four), RBIs (19), and she is tied for first in hits (30) … Last season's Empire 8 Conference Rookie of the Year is fourth in the conference in batting average and third in slugging percentage.

Career Marks: After hitting a grand slam against Ithaca last weekend, senior Chelsea Monroe (Watertown, NY/General Brown) has hit three grand slams against Ithaca in just four career games against the Bombers … Senior Meghan Matan (Latham, NY/Shaker) is fourth all-time at Utica in career hits (146) and needs just three more to tie Mallory Ingalls (Oriskany, NY/Oriskany) '13 for third… Courtney Fitzgerald (Albany, NY/Colonie Central) moved into second place this season for career home runs at Utica and needs two more (19) to tie Abby Drew '09 for first all-time… Fitzgerald is also in fourth for career RBIs (91) and needs four to tie Ingalls '13 for third … Christy Traglia (Mohawk, NY/Mohawk) is in fourth for career stolen bases (30) and she needs four more to tie Heidi Savage '06 for third on the list.

Scouting Elmira: The Soaring Eagles are currently 4-10 overall and 1-5 in the Empire 8 Conference… Elmira is coming off a split with Ithaca College, winning 1-0, before falling 3-1… The Soaring Eagles will have double headers against Nazareth on Thursday and Pennsylvania College of Technology on Friday before traveling to Utica for Saturday's match up… Junior Katie Dore has a team-best .349 batting average with five RBI, while senior Alex Puglisi has compiled a .90 ERA with 38 strikeouts in nine appearances… Last year Utica was shutout by Elmira 1-0 and 4-0 in their regular season meeting, however the Pioneers got revenge, eliminating the Soaring Eagles from the Empire 8 Conference Tournament with a 6-1 win.  

Looking Ahead: UC will continue Empire 8 play as it travels to Nazareth College on Monday… The first pitch of the double-header is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.


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