CLINTON, NY- The Utica College softball team stretched its win streak to six games as it downed host Hamilton College in non-conference action Wednesday evening.  UC took the first game 10-4 and the second 3-1. 
 
The Pioneers, winners of seven of their last eight, look to carry their momentum into an Empire 8 Conference match up against Elmira this weekend.  If Utica sweeps the Soaring Eagles, it will clinch a spot in the Empire 8 Conference tournament for the third time in the last four years.  The double-header is set to begin at 1 p.m. at Utica's Greenman Field.
 
Senior Alysa Russell (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) continued her hot streak as she went 5-for-8 on the day with three steals, three runs scored and two RBIs.  Russell, who now has at least one hit in her last 12 games, broke the College's career stolen bases record, previously held by 2015 graduate, Christy Traglia (Mohawk, NY/Mohawk).  Russell now has 49 steals to her credit in four years at Utica.
 
Utica 10, Hamilton 4- Game One Final
The home team jumped out to a 4-2 lead in the first three innings of action, before the Pioneers rallied to score eight unanswered runs over the next three innings to claim the victory. 
 
Freshman Nicole Rice (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South) led the way for the Pioneers going 3-for-5 in the first game with two runs and one RBI.  Russell, Cassie Smith (Delmar, NY/Bethlehem Central), Stephanie Siriano (Sauquoit, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill), and Sabrina Stransky (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) were each 2-for-4, with Stransky driving in a team-high three runs.  Abby Monroe (Watertown, NY/General Brown), Dominique Soto (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place), Kassidy Ogren (Albany, NY/Colonie Central), and Kimberly Beattie (Levitton, NY/Division Ave) also had hits for UC.
 
Sophomore Brittany Meka (Averill Park, NY/Averill Park) struck out three as she improved to 7-2 on the season. 
 
Utica 3, Hamilton 1- Game Two Final
The Pioneers used a three-run second inning and allowed just one run to earn the sweep.  Russell led the way again for UC as she was 3-for-4 with two steals and an RBI, while senior Abby Monroe (Watertown, NY/General Brown) struck out seven and allowed just three hits to pick up her team-leading ninth win of the season.
 
With one out in the second, Kassidy Ogren (Albany, NY/Colonie Central) hit a single to left field.  Two batters later, Russell drove in Ogren as she singled to right.  Later in the inning, with runners on second and third, Cassie Smith (Delmar, NY/Bethlehem Central) hit a single to right to score Russell and Nicole Rice (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South). 
 
That was all Utica needed as Monroe shut down the Hamilton offense.  With seven strikeouts on the day, Monroe set a new career-high with 97 strikeouts on the season.  She needs three more strikeouts to become just the fourth player in school history to record 100 strikeouts in a single-season.