Houghton, NY (4/10/15)- The Utica College softball team picked up two wins in its Empire 8 Conference opener Friday as it downed host Houghton College 2-1 and 7-0. 
 
Junior Alysa Russell (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) extended her season-opening hitting streak to 14 games as she went 4-for-7 at the plate, including two triples, with three runs scored and one RBI on the day. 
 
Utica 2, Houghton 1- Game One Final
After a scoreless three innings, Utica got on the board in the top of the fourth as freshman Sabrina Stransky (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) hit a leadoff solo shot for her second home run of the season.  Junior Taylor Ellis (Willet, NY/Greene) padded the lead later in the inning as her sacrifice fly to center field drove in Cassie Smith (Delmar, NY/Bethlehem Central).  Houghton was able to cut the lead in half in the bottom of the fifth, but the Utica defense held on for the win. 
 
Christy Traglia (Mohawk, NY/Mohawk), Courtney Fitzgerald (Albany, NY/Colonie Central), and Samantha Sanky (Merrick, NY/Calhoun) also had hits for the Pioneers, with Traglia adding one stolen base.  Junior Abby Monroe (Watertown, NY/General Brown) allowed just five hits and struck out three as she picked up her team-leading fifth win of the season. 
 
Utica 7, Houghton 0- Game Two Final
Both Alysa Russell (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) and Stephanie Siriano (Sauquoit, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) each went 3-for-3 to pace the Pioneers.  Russell tallied three runs and added one stolen base, while Siriano collected a season-best three stolen bases.  Sophomore Kassidy Ogren (Albany, NY/Colonie Central) had two hits and added one RBI, while Samantha Husak (Jackson, MI/Grass Lake) was 1-for-3 with two RBIs.  Freshmen Alaina Wickwire (Towanda, PA/Towanda) and Dominique Soto (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) each had one hit. 
 
Freshman Brittany Meka (Averill Park, NY/Averill Park) struck out five and allowed just four base runners in six innings of work, while Wickwire had one strikeout in relief. 
 
The Pioneers improve to 10-6 overall and 2-0 in the Empire 8.  Utica returns to action Saturday as it travels to Alfred for a key Empire 8 match up against the Saxons.  First pitch of the double-header is scheduled for 1 p.m.