Live Stats

Utica, NY (April 7, 2014) – The Utica College softball team returns to action Thursday as it squares off against local rival Hamilton College at Greenman Field. UC will take on the Continentals in a doubleheader beginning at 4:30 p.m.
 
Schedule Change: The last three games against Nazareth College, St. John Fisher and Oswego State have been postponed due to weather. 
 
Last Time Out: The Pioneers defeated SUNY IT 13-1 and 11-1, both in five innings, on Thursday … In the first game, after a scoreless first inning the Pioneers exploded in the bottom half of the second inning with ten runs... Senior Meghan Matan (Latham, NY/Shaker) erupted with two home runs and a double while driving in five RBIs in just three plate appearances … Cassie Smith (Delmar, NY/Bethlehem Central) also homered in the game … In the second game, Kassidy Ogren (Albany, NY/Colonie Central) hit her first collegiate home run and added a double, driving in four runs in the game … Alysa Russell (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) also homered and added two RBIs, while Meghan Matan (Latham, NY/Shaker) had three doubles.
 
Where We Sit: The Pioneers are currently 9-4 on the year… UC has won its last four straight and nine of its last ten… Since dropping the first three games of the season, Utica has outscored opponents 78-28 in their last ten contests… UC is also 4-0 at home so far… UC is 27-3 at Greenman Field dating back to the beginning of last season.
 
Power Hitting: The Pioneers are hitting the ball long this year and often … In 13 games, UC has 12 home runs spaced out between six different players … Reigning Empire 8 Player of the Week Alysa Russell (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) leads the team and the conference with four already after sending six out of the park in 47 games last year … Courtney Fitzgerald (Albany, NY/Colonie Central) has three home runs on the year so far which puts her at 19 for her career, two behind Abby Drew (2006-2009) for first all-time … Meghan Matan (Latham, NY/Shaker) , Kassidy Ogren (Albany, NY/Colonie Central) , Cassie Smith (Delmar, NY/Bethlehem Central), and Chelsea Monroe (Watertown, NY/General Brown) have the other home runs for the Pioneers who are leading the Empire 8 in slugging percentage (.550).
 
League Leaders: Sophomore pitcher Abby Monroe (Watertown, NY/General Brown) is doing what she does best in shutting down opposing team's hitters with an era of 1.21, good for third in the conference … She is also second in the E8 in wins (seven) and strikeouts (32) … Matan is ripping the cover off of the ball and with the help of her two home runs on Thursday, she is third in slugging percentage (.900) and is sixth in batting average (.500) … Russell is right behind her in fourth in the slugging percentage category (.872).
 
Scouting Hamilton: Hamilton (5-14) is coming off two losses to Wesleyan (0-7 and 2-7) on April 5th … The team's top hitter is Olivia Gozdz who is batting .264 and slugging .340 in 19 games on the year … Last season, Utica won both home games against Hamilton (2-0, 9-1) … In the last ten years, UC is 15-5 against the Continentals.
 
Looking Ahead: The Pioneers will travel to Ithaca on Saturday as they open up Empire 8 Conference play against Ithaca College … First pitch is set for 1 p.m