UTICA, NY (3/25/15)- The Utica College softball team is back on the field Wednesday afternoon for a two game set at Skidmore College. Game one of the double-header is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT: The Pioneers (4-6) wrapped up the Dot Richardson Spring Games with a 1-1 result on the final day of play… Utica downed Worcester State University 9-0 in five innings of the first game, before falling to nationally ranked No. 1 Tufts University 8-2… Junior Alysa Russell (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) went 5-for-7 at the plate with two home runs and two stolen bases… Classmate Cassie Smith (Delmar, NY/Bethlehem Central) was 4-for-7 to extend her hitting streak to eight games. 

E8 PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Junior Alyssa Russell was named both the Empire 8 Conference Player of the Week, and the ECAC Upstate Player of the Week after her team-leading performance in eight games in Florida last week… Russell had 14 hits including two home runs, five RBI, seven runs scored and ended the week with a .609 batting average… She also added five stolen bases… In her first two seasons as a Pioneer she has accumulated a batting average over .400. 

HEATING UP: Junior Cassie Smith (Delmar, NY/Bethlehem Central) has quietly worked her way towards an eight-game hitting streak to open the season… She ranks second on the squad with a .478 batting average and a .520 on base percentage… Senior transfer Stephanie Siriano (Sauquoit, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) is third on the team with a .414 average… She is right behind Russell with 12 hits, including four for extra bases, and three steals.

IN THE CIRCLE: Junior Abby Monroe (Watertown, NY/General Brown) has compiled a win-loss record of 3-2… She has an ERA of 5.25 and 25 strikeouts against 141 batters so far this season… Joining her on the pitching staff are three newcomers; freshmen Alaina Wickwire (Towanda, PA/Towanda), Brittany Meka (Averill Park, NY/Averill Park) and Sabrina Stransky (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place)… The three freshmen have combined for an ERA of 4.52 and 15 strikeouts, allowing 42 hits against 135 batters.

SCOUTING SKIDMORE: The Thoroughbreds enter Wednesday's contest with a record of 4-6… At the plate Skidmore is led by junior Dani DeGregory, who has a batting average of .379 and an on base percentage of .471… In the circle for the Thoroughbreds are led by freshmen Amanda Carilli and junior Cassie Fishkin who have combined for an ERA of 3.53… In the first ten contests Skidmore has outscored it opponents 47-33… Utica is 6-2 against Skidmore in the last five seasons… Three of the eight contests were one-run games.

WHATS UP NEXT: Looking ahead, the Pioneers are set to open conference competition in their home opening double-header on Saturday against defending E8 Champion, Ithaca College… The first pitch is set for 1 p.m.


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