Utica, NY -- The Utica College softball team returns to their home field this Wednesday to play RPI in a non-conference doubleheader. Game one is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m.
Last Time Out: The Pioneers split a doubleheader against Skidmore at home last Monday, as Utica won the first game, 7-6, in extra innings, but the Pioneers lost game two, 14-5 … Junior
Dominique Soto (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) went 6-for-9 on the day with three RBIs and two runs scored … In game one, Utica pitcher
Brittany Meka (Averill Park, NY/Averill Park) struck out four and allowed five earned runs in nine innings …
Sabrina Stransky (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place),
Alyssa Samborin (Schenectady, NY/Mohonasen), and
Shannon Cool (Herkimer, NY/Herkimer) recorded a combined six strikeouts in the game two loss on the mound ... The Pioneers now have a 14-18 overall record and a 4-8 record in the Empire 8.
Rice's Performance at the Plate: Utica sophomore
Nicole Rice (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South) currently leads the team and is ranked second in the Empire 8 with a batting average of .491 … Rice also has recorded the most hits (53) and RBI's (23) for the team this season … There have only been five games this season in which she did not register a single hit.
Stransky's Performance at the Plate: Stransky has also showed strong commitment to her team, as she has a .320 batting average on 31 hits and 14 RBIs … Stransky also has rattled off two home runs so far this season.
Meka's Strong Arm:
Brittany Meka (Averill Park, NY/Averill Park) has done a sensational job on the mound this season... She is 10-6 and has an Empire 8 conference fifth best ERA of 1.81... Meka has also struck out 106 batters, gave up 96 hits, and only walked 14 batters this year.
Scouting RPI: The RPI Engineers are 19-9 overall and just split a doubleheader with RIT (Rochester Institute of Technology) last Sunday … Senior pitcher Stephanie Caudle threw a perfect game (striking out 11 batters) in the Engineers' 4-0 victory in game one of the doubleheader, but the RIT Tigers beat RPI, 3-1, in game two … Caudle has been doing double-duty in pitching and hitting this season … She has the team's best batting average of .439, and recorded a team-high 36 hits, 33 RBI's and five home runs … As a pitcher, Caudle has the team's best ERA of 1.99, is 9-3 as a starter, and has struck out a team-high of 88 batters.
Against the Engineers: The Pioneers traveled to Troy last season (4/27/16) to play RPI in a doubleheader … Utica lost the first game 5-4, but beat the Engineers 12-9 in game two … Utica College graduate
Cassie Smith (Delmar, NY/Bethlehem Central), was 4-for-6 on the day with one home run and six RBIs …
Shannon Cool (Herkimer, NY/Herkimer) struck out five batters in the first six innings of game one, while graduate
Abby Monroe (Watertown, NY/General Brown) and Meka combined for seven strikeouts in the Pioneers' game two victory.
Looking Ahead: After RPI, the Pioneers will travel to Marcy on Friday to take on the SUNY Poly Wildcats in another non-conference doubleheader. The first game is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m.