SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY- The Utica College softball team cruised to a pair of victories over host Skidmore College Friday afternoon in non-conference action.  UC won the first game 9-3, before taking the second game 11-0 in five innings. 
 
Utica 9, Skidmore 3- Game One Final
The Pioneers jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first two innings and never looked back.  Senior Alysa Russell (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) got things going in the first at bat of the game as she blasted a solo home run, her second in a many games, to left center field.  
 
The Pioneers added three more runs in the top of the second as freshman Nicole Rice (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South) drove in two, and Kassidy Ogren (Albany, NY/Colonie Central) had an RBI single.
 
The Thoroughbreds plated the next three runs, before Utica busted the contest open with five runs in the seventh.  Russell finished the first game going 4-for-5 at the plate with three RBI, while sophomore Dominique Soto (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) was 2-for-4 with one RBI.  Stephanie Siriano (Sauquoit, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill), Kassidy Ogren (Albany, NY/Colonie Central), and Sabrina Stransky (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) also had hits for UC.
 
Sophomore Brittany Meka (Averill Park, NY/Averill Park) had an impressive showing in the circle as she struck out two in just over six innings of work, before Stransky came in to get the final two outs.
 
Utica 11, Skidmore 0- Game Two Final
The Pioneers picked up where they left off as they jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first half of the game, and added another six runs in the fifth inning to secure the sweep.
 
Freshman Nicole Rice (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South) led Utica going 3-for-4 at the plate with a career-high four RBI, while Kassidy Ogren (Albany, NY/Colonie Central) was 3-for-3 with three runs batted in.  Alysa Russell (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) had one hit to extend her hitting streak to five games, while classmate Cassie Smith (Delmar, NY/Bethlehem Central) also had a hit for the Pioneers. Russell and Stephanie Siriano (Sauquoit, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) each added two steals on the day. 
 
Senior Abby Monroe (Watertown, NY/General Brown) totaled three strikeouts to improve to 3-4 on the year.  Monroe now has 301 career strikeouts, becoming the first player in program history to reach 300 strikeouts in a career.
 
The Pioneers improve to 7-9 on the year.  They return to action Wednesday as they host Union College. Game time is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.