UTICA, NY- The Utica College softball team returns to Greenman Field Saturday for its final regular season home games. First pitch of the double-header is scheduled for 1 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT: Utica is coming off a pair of wins at local rival, Hamilton College on Wednesday… 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… 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… Sophomore
Sabrina Stransky (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) was 2-for-4 in game one with a team-high three RBIs.
WIN AND WE'RE IN: The Pioneers can secure a spot in the Empire 8 Conference tournament with a sweep of Elmira… Utica (19-13) is currently third in the E8 with a 7-3 record in league play… The Pioneers have four conference games remaining, two against Elmira on Saturday and two at Nazareth on Sunday, May 1.
RUSSELL SNAGS ANOTHER RECORD: Senior
Alysa Russell (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville), who already owns the College's single-season steals record (23), set a new program record for career stolen bases (49)… Russell also owns the College's career record in runs scored (131), total bases (314), steals (49) and she is tied for the lead in triples (eight)… On the season, she is tied for fourth in the conference with a .405 batting average… She is in the midst of a 12-game hitting streak in which she has totaled 27 hits and batted .600.
HELPING OUT: Freshman
Nicole Rice (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South) is second on the squad with a .346 batting average… She leads the team with 11 doubles and 19 RBIs, while also adding nine steals…
Abby Monroe (Watertown, NY/General Brown) is third in batting average (.316), followed by
Cassie Smith (Delmar, NY/Bethlehem Central) (.290).
IN THE CIRCLE: Senior
Abby Monroe (Watertown, NY/General Brown) is second in the conference with a 1.43 earned run average and a career-high 97 strikeouts… She needs three more strikeouts to become just the fourth player in school history to record 100 strikeouts in a single-season… Sophomore
Brittany Meka (Averill Park, NY/Averill Park) ranks seventh in the E8 with a 2.72 ERA and a 7-2 record… Freshman
Shannon Cool (Herkimer, NY/Herkimer) ranks fourth nationally with four saves, and sophomore
Sabrina Stransky (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) has compiled a 2.86 ERA in 14.2 innings of work.
HONORING THE CLASS OF 2016: Prior to game time on Saturday, the Pioneers will honor their five seniors, who are playing in their final regular season home games…
Cassie Smith (Delmar, NY/Bethlehem Central),
Stephanie Siriano (Sauquoit, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill),
Alysa Russell (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville),
Taylor Ellis (Kannapolis, NC/Greene), and
Abby Monroe (Watertown, NY/General Brown) have made huge impacts on the program since arriving on campus… They have totaled 93 wins in their career, including clinching the program's first ever Empire 8 regular season title and NCAA Tournament appearance.
SCOUTING ELMIRA: The Soaring Eagles are 9-11 on the season and 3-9 in the Empire 8… They are coming off a pair of wins over Morrisville on Thursday… Elmira has six players batting over .300, led by Maddy Johnson, who has a .385 average… The Pioneers are 7-4 against Elmira in the last five years… Last year, UC topped the Soaring Eagles 11-2 and 14-0.
LOOKING AHEAD: UC will hit the road on Wednesday to take on RPI in non-Conference action… Game time is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
