UTICA, NY- The Utica College softball team returns home this weekend for a pair of Empire 8 Conference doubleheaders.  On Saturday, the Pioneers will host St. John Fisher College, while UC will take on Ithaca College on Sunday.  The first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. both days.
 
LAST TIME OUT: Utica is coming off a sweep of Union College on Tuesday, winning 5-0 and 10-2… Freshman Jamie Miller (Boonville, NY/Adirondack) led the way for UC going 6-for-7 with four runs scored in the twin bill… Nicole Rice (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South) was 5-for-9 with four RBIs, while Hayley Fredericks (Suffern, NY/Suffern) was 4-for-9 with a team-best six RBIs… Brittany Meka (Averill Park, NY/Averill Park) was lights out in game one as she allowed just one hit and had a perfect game going through the first four innings...  Meka totaled five strikeouts in the win… Freshman Alyssa Samborin (Schenectady, NY/Mohonasen) struck out three and allowed just four hits to pick up her first collegiate win in game two.
 
COMING HOME: 12 of the Pioneers' 14 remaining games will be at the friendly confines of Utica's Greenman Field… The Pioneers are 14-4 at home since the start of the 2016 season.
 
LEADING THE WAY: Sophomore Nicole Rice (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South) leads the team and ranks second in the conference with a .524 batting average and .573 on base percentage… Rice also has a team-high 19 RBIs, 11 walks, eight doubles, and seven steals… She has now recorded at least 40 hits in each of her first two seasons.
 
HEATING UP: Freshman Jamie Miller (Boonville, NY/Adirondack) has compiled a .500 batting average in 26 at bats so far… She has gone 8-for-10 with six runs scored in the last three games… on the season, Miller has scored 12 runs and totaled three RBIs.
 
IN THE CIRCLE: Senior Brittany Meka (Averill Park, NY/Averill Park) has risen to the occasion this season… She is currently tied for third in the conference with a 1.43 ERA… Meka is also second in the E8 with 87 strikeouts and she has held opponents to just a .202 batting average against her.    
 
SENIOR DAY: On Sunday, the Pioneers will honor their lone senior, Kassidy Ogren (Albany, NY/Colonie Central) in a ceremony prior to their doubleheader against Ithaca… Ogren is a three-time Empire 8 All-Conference selection...  She has compiled a career batting average of .301 in 120 games and has also racked up six home runs, 28 runs scored, and 58 RBIs in her career.
 
SCOUTING STEVENS: The Ducks are 20-14 overall and 5-5 in the conference… They are coming off a split at St. Joseph's College- Long Island as they took the first game 7-0 before dropping game two 9-4… Junior Farryl Groder leads the squad, among players with at least 60 at bats, with a .396 average at the plate.
 
AGAINST THE DUCKS: The Pioneers are 7-4 against Stevens in the last five years… Last year, UC swept the Ducks, winning 8-7 and 2-1… Nicole Rice (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South) was 3-for-8 on the day with three RBIs and two doubles… Dominique Soto (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) went 2-for-5 with three runs scored and three RBIs, including a three run home run to give the Pioneers a convincing 4-0 lead in the second inning of game one.
 
SCOUTING ITHACA: The Bombers are 20-6 overall and sit atop the Empire 8 Conference standings with a 9-1 mark in league play… They are coming off a sweep over Oneonta on Tuesday… Jessie Fleck leads the team with a .450 batting average, while Vanessa Brown has a .368 average and a team-high 24 RBIs.
 
AGAINST THE BOMBERS: Utica is 3-8 against Ithaca in the last five years… Last year, the Pioneers fell 9-8 and 6-3 to the Bombers in Ithaca… Sabrina Stransky (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) led the way for UC as she was 5-for-7 on the day with a grand slam.
 
LOOKING AHEAD: The Pioneers will remain at home on Monday as they host Skidmore College… Game time is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.