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Samantha Whitehouse
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Softball

Softball to Face RPI at Home for Non-Conference Battle

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.
 
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Players Mentioned

Abby Monroe

#8 Abby Monroe

P/IF
5' 5"
Senior
Health Studies-Physical Therapy
Cassie Smith

#14 Cassie Smith

OF
5' 5"
Senior
Therapeutic Recreation
Shannon Cool

#15 Shannon Cool

P/IF
5' 7"
Sophomore
Biology
Brittany Meka

#4 Brittany Meka

P
5' 3"
Junior
Sociology/Anthropology
Nicole Rice

#20 Nicole Rice

IF
5' 4"
Sophomore
Nursing
Dominique Soto

#2 Dominique Soto

OF
5' 2"
Junior
Business
Sabrina Stransky

#11 Sabrina Stransky

IF/P
5' 9"
Junior
English
Alyssa  Samborin

#1 Alyssa Samborin

P
5' 2"
Freshman
Cybersecurity

Players Mentioned

Abby Monroe

#8 Abby Monroe

5' 5"
Senior
Health Studies-Physical Therapy
P/IF
Cassie Smith

#14 Cassie Smith

5' 5"
Senior
Therapeutic Recreation
OF
Shannon Cool

#15 Shannon Cool

5' 7"
Sophomore
Biology
P/IF
Brittany Meka

#4 Brittany Meka

5' 3"
Junior
Sociology/Anthropology
P
Nicole Rice

#20 Nicole Rice

5' 4"
Sophomore
Nursing
IF
Dominique Soto

#2 Dominique Soto

5' 2"
Junior
Business
OF
Sabrina Stransky

#11 Sabrina Stransky

5' 9"
Junior
English
IF/P
Alyssa  Samborin

#1 Alyssa Samborin

5' 2"
Freshman
Cybersecurity
P