UTICA, NY – The Utica College softball team swept a pair of key Empire 8 Conference contests against visiting Alfred University on Friday afternoon at Greenman Field. The Pioneers won game one 4-1 and came back with a 3-1 victory in game two. Senior shortstop
Alysa Russell (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) went 3-for-7 with two runs scored, one RBI, one double and opened game two with a leadoff home run.
Nicole Rice (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South) went 3-for-5 on the day with two runs and two doubles, while senior
Stephanie Siriano (Sauquoit, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) went 3-for-7 with one run scored and two key RBIs to propel the Pioneers to victory in game one.
The Pioneers have now won three of their last four games and improved to 15-13 overall on the year and 5-3 in the highly competitive Empire 8 Conference. UC also improved its record at Greenman field to 7-1 on the year. Freshman
Nicole Rice (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South) has now had at least one hit in eight of her last nine games, while Russell extended her current hit streak to eight games. The Pioneers are now in a three-way tie for second place in the conference standings with Stevens and Alfred.
Alfred is currently on a three game losing streak as its record moved to 14-8 overall and 5-3 in the Empire 8.
Utica 4, Alfred 1 – Game One Final
After four scoreless innings in game one, the Saxons got on the board first in the top of the fifth inning when Becca Alexander scored after an error to hand the visitors a 1-0 lead. UC answered in the bottom half of the fifth with four runs to take a 4-1 lead they would not relinquish.
Stephanie Siriano (Sauquoit, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) got things going with a two RBI single, scoring Rice and Russell.
Sabrina Stransky (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) then roped an RBI single to right field, scoring Siriano.
Kassidy Ogren (Albany, NY/Colonie Central) followed with an RBI single up the middle to score Stransky as the Pioneers took the three run lead.
That was all the support sophomore pitcher
Brittany Meka (Averill Park, NY/Averill Park) would need as she shut the door in the final two innings. Meka pitched a complete game and did not allow an earned run, while striking out three.
UC finished with 12 hits in game one, including a 3-for-4 effort from Rice. Ogren went 2-for-3 at the plate with one RBI, while third baseman
Kimberly Beattie (Levitton, NY/Division Ave) added a 2-for-2 effort and also walked once.
Utica 3, Alfred 1 – Game Two Final
In game two, Russell homered to start the contest to push the Pioneers to an early 1-0 lead. She was followed up by Stransky who drove in Rice, to give the Pioneers' the early 2-0 advantage.
Alfred got one back in the sixth inning when junior Liz Thompson doubled, and scored Dana Torchia, to make it a 2-1 ball game.
Pitcher
Abby Monroe (Watertown, NY/General Brown) helped her own cause when she doubled home Stransky in the bottom half of the sixth to give UC a 3-1 cushion.
Monroe was lights on the mound once again as she allowed just one earned run on three hits and struck out seven batters in 6.1 innings of work to earn her seventh win of the season. Freshman
Shannon Cool (Herkimer, NY/Herkimer) came on in relief and picked up her fourth save of the season, shutting the door in the top of the seventh inning.
UC totaled seven hits in game two. Siriano went 2-for-3 at the plate, while Stransky went 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI.
The Pioneers return home on Saturday when they host Empire 8 Conference opponent Houghton College for a double header that begins at 1 p.m.
