Utica, NY (4/17/15)- The Utica College softball looks to bounce back this weekend as it hosts a pair of Empire 8 Conference doubleheaders.  Utica will take on Nazareth College on Saturday and St. John Fisher College on Sunday.  The first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. both days.
 
LAST TIME OUT: UC dropped a pair of non-conference games at the University of Rochester on Wednesday as the Pioneers fell 4-0 in the first game, before dropping a 9-5 decision on a walk off grand slam in the bottom of the 10^th inning… The Pioneers have now lost six straight, including three in extra innings… Senior Courtney Fitzgerald (Albany, NY/Colonie Central) had two hits, including her team-best third homerun and drove in four runs for the Pioneers in the second game… Freshman Kimberly Beattie (Levitton, NY/Division Ave) finished the game going 3-for-4 at the plate, while classmate Sabrina Stransky (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) was 3-for-5 with one run scored and one RBI.
 
CATCH THEM IF YOU CAN: Junior Alysa Russell (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) and senior Stephanie Siriano (Sauquoit, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) are first and second on the team in steals… Russell is 9-for-9 on stolen base attempts this season, while Siriano is 8-for-8… The duo also leads the team in batting average as each is batting over .400…  Russell has a .460 average, and also has a team-best slugging percentage (.762) and 48 total bases… Siriano is second on the squad with a .420 average and she has also compiled a .453 on base percentage and a team-high 16 RBI.
 
IN THE CIRCLE: Freshmen Sabrina Stransky (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) and Brittany Meka (Averill Park, NY/Averill Park) are tied for the team lead with a 4.20 ERA… Meka is second on the Pioneers with 30 strikeouts, while Abby Monroe (Watertown, NY/General Brown) has struck out a team-high 51 batters… Alaina Wickwire (Towanda, PA/Towanda) has also chipped in with a 4.32 ERA and she also holds a .239 batting average with one homerun.
 
SCOUTING NAZ: The Golden Flyers are 10-10 on the season and are currently 3-3 in the Empire 8… Nazareth is led by senior Sophia Rhoades, who has a .393 average and ten RBI… Utica is 4-2 against Naz in the last three seasons… Last year, the teams split as Utica picked up a 12-0 shutout in the first game, before falling 2-1 in the second game… Kassidy Ogren (Albany, NY/Colonie Central) and Taylor Ellis (Willet, NY/Greene) were each 4-for-7 at the plate, with Ogren adding one homerun and three RBI. 
 
SCOUTING ST. JOHN FISHER: The Cardinals are currently 20-8 on the season and 4-2 in the Empire 8… Fisher is coming off a split against Naz on Thursday as it won 7-0 in the first game before falling 1-0 in the nightcap… The Cardinals have three players batting over .400, led by Katie Mazierski and Meghan Burns… Mazierski has a team-best .458 average, while Burns has a .429 average with two homeruns and 22 RBI… Utica is 4-5 against Fisher in the last three seasons… Last year, the teams split with the Cardinals taking the first game 3-2 and the Pioneers winning the second game 5-1.
 
LOOKING AHEAD: Utica will remain home on Tuesday as it hosts Sage College… Game time is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.