Utica, NY- The Utica College softball team wraps up its 2015 campaign with a pair of non-conference doubleheaders this week. On Wednesday, the Pioneers travel to cross-town rival, SUNY Poly (3:30 p.m.), before returning home Thursday to host Cazenovia College (4 p.m.).
LAST TIME OUT: The Pioneers are coming off a 2-2 weekend against conference opponents Elmira College and Stevens Institute of Technology… On Friday, Utica outscored the Soaring Eagles 25-2 winning both games of the doubleheader… On Saturday UC was swept by Stevens, losing 12-3 and 13-7, eliminating the Pioneers from playoff contention… Utica is now 14-16 overall with a 6-8 conference record.
LEADING THE WAY: Junior shortstop
Alysa Russell (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) leads the Pioneers in batting average (.451), runs (33), hits (41), doubles (12), triples (two), and stolen bases (11)… Russell is 16
th in the nation and first in the conference in doubles per game (0.57), second in the conference in on base percentage (0.538) and runs per game (1.24), and her batting average ranks third in the conference.
AT THE PLATE: The Pioneers' scoring production is led by senior
Courtney Fitzgerald (Albany, NY/Colonie Central), who has a batting average of .262, 22 hits, 12 doubles, 11 runs scored, and a team-high four home runs and 26 RBI… Senior
Stephanie Siriano (Sauquoit, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) has a .396 batting average, 38 hits, six doubles, 26 runs, 22 RBI, a team-best with two triples, and she is tied with Fitzgerald for the team lead with four home runs … Freshman
Samantha Husak (Jackson, MI/Grass Lake) has a .333 batting average, 22 hits, nine doubles, one triple, 14 runs, and 20 RBI.
IN THE CIRCLE: Junior
Abby Monroe (Watertown, NY/General Brown) leads a young pitching staff for the Pioneers… Monroe has an ERA of 4.32 and a team-high 70 strikeouts in 20 appearances and 16 starts… Freshman
Brittany Meka (Averill Park, NY/Averill Park) leads the team with an ERA of 3.58 and is second with 47 strikeouts in 19 appearances and 10 starts…
Alaina Wickwire (Towanda, PA/Towanda) has an ERA of 4.78 and has seven strikeouts in 10 appearances, while
Sabrina Stransky (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) has an ERA of 4.50 and has two strikeouts in six appearances.
AGAINST SUNY POLY: The Pioneers have won the last eight match ups against SUNY Poly going 8-2 in the last 5 years… UC is 20-11 overall against the Wildcats since the program was created in 2003.
SCOUTING SUNY POLY: The Wildcats have a 12-14 overall record with a 10-6 mark in the NEAC … SUNY Poly is currently on a two game win streak… At the plate the Wildcats are led by senior Abby Black (.357 batting average, 22 RBI, two home runs, 30 hits, and 18 runs) and sophomore Danielle Witchley (.366 batting average, 13 RBI, one home run, 30 hits, and 17 runs)… In the circle SUNY Poly is led by junior Fallon Reinold who has an ERA of 4.04 and has 79 strikeouts.
AGAINST CAZENOVIA: The Pioneers are 9-1 against Caz since the program was created… The last time these two teams played was in 2010… In the last six meetings between the two teams the Pioneers are 6-0.
SCOUTING CAZ: Cazenovia, whose mascot is also the Wildcat, is 7-16 overall with an NEAC Conference record of 4-9… The Wildcats are currently on an eight game losing streak heading into this week's match up… Caz is led in the batter's box as well as the circle by Kelsey Schuette… At the plate, Schuette has an average of .419 and leads her team in at bats (74), hits (31), runs (21), doubles (nine), home runs (five), and RBI (29)… In the circle she has an ERA of 5.81 and has 41 strikeouts.
