Utica, NY (4/25/14) – The Utica College softball team (19-8, 4-4 E8) will play two important Empire 8 double-headers this weekend. The first will be Saturday at home against Alfred University starting at 1 p.m. The second will be Sunday at St. John Fisher at one.
 
Last Time Out: Utica outscored visiting Houghton College 18-0 over the course of two games as the Pioneers swept the Highlanders in two run-rule shortened contests on Thursday afternoon at Greenman Field … The Pioneers won game one 10-0 in five innings, before topping the visitors 8-0 in five innings in game two … Senior second baseman Chelsea Monroe (Watertown, NY/General Brown) went 4-for-5 with four runs scored and two doubles over the course of the two games …  Senior third baseman Meghan Matan (Latham, NY/Shaker) went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and one RBI, while sophomore shortstop Alysa Russell (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) added two hits, three RBIs, two runs scored and her team-best fifth home run of the season … Sophomore Taylor Ellis (Willet, NY/Greene) also registered her second career home run (first of the year).

Playoff Scenarios: The Pioneers are currently tied with Fisher and Elmira for fourth in the Empire 8 Conference standings… If Utica wins all four games this weekend, it would tie Ithaca and possibly Stevens for first in the conference… If Utica wins three games, the Pioneers will automatically clinch an Empire 8 Conference playoff birth for the second consecutive season...  If the Pioneers win two games, they will potentially face a tiebreaker with Fisher and/or Elmira.
 
Offensive Week: In six games so far this week, the Pioneers have been tearing the cover off the ball … UC is batting .375 on the week with a slugging percentage of .559 … With 43 runs in the six games, the Pioneers are averaging 7.17 runs per game and have compiled a 5-1 record. 
 
Record Setting Year: Senior Meghan Matan (Latham, NY/Shaker) has 15 doubles on the year, breaking the single-season record for Utica that was previously held by Bridgette Plummer (Saratoga Springs, NY/Schuylerville) '13 … She also needs just six more doubles to tie Plummer's career record of 37… Junior Courtney Fitzgerald (Albany, NY/Colonie Central) needs just one more home run to tie Abby Drew '09 for most home runs all-time (21)… She also recently moved into third place all-time with 97 career RBIs.
 
Scouting Alfred: The Saxons (22-6, 5-3 E8) are coming off a split with Ithaca College Thursday, a 3-2 loss and a 3-1 win … Alfred is currently leading all of Division III with a team batting average of .396… Last season, UC split with Alfred in the regular season before the Pioneers knocked the Saxons out of the Empire 8 Conference Tournament with an 8-0 victory. 
 
Scouting St. John Fisher: The Cardinals (19-11, 4-6 E8) are coming off two losses to Elmira College 9-1 and 5-3 on Wednesday… Fisher's top hitter is Meghan Burns who is leading the team in batting average (.389), doubles (13), triples (two), RBIs (28), and home runs (five)… Last season, UC went 3-2 against St. John Fisher, but the Cardinals beat the Pioneers to win the Empire 8 Conference Tournament title … The Cardinals hold a 3-6 advantage in the last nine meetings against UC.
 
Looking Ahead: Utica will close out the regular season with a non-conference double-header against The Sage Colleges at home on Wednesday. The first game is set for 3:30 p.m.


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