UTICA, NY- The Utica College softball team is back in action this weekend with a pair of doubleheaders. First, on Friday, they will travel to local rival, SUNY Poly. Then on Saturday UC returns home host St. John Fisher College to wrap up the Empire8 Conference slate.
 
Last Time Out: Last time out on Wednesday the team split a double header against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, winning the first game 2-0 and dropping the second one 5-0… In game one pitcher Brittany Meka (Averill Park, NY/Averill Park) pitched a complete game shutout carrying a no-hitter into the fifth inning… She gave up just two hits and struck out four batters in the win… Hayley Fredericks (Suffern, NY/Suffern) and Kassidy Ogren (Albany, NY/Colonie Central) had the two RBI's for the Pioneers, while Nicole Rice (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South) was 2-for-3. 
 
Meka Still Dominating: Brittany Meka (Averill Park, NY/Averill Park) continues to be one of the best pitchers in the Empire 8 Conference… She is currently third in the E8 with 11 wins on the season, and she ranks sixth with a 1.84 earned run average... Opponents are batting just .214 off of her and she has struck out 112 batters so far, which is the fifth most in a single season in program history.
 
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 (56) 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… Her on base percentage of .535 in also good for second in the conference.
 
Scouting SUNY Poly: The Wildcats are coming into this game with a 13-17 overall record and they are coming off loses to Cazenovia on Wednesday… Angela Bartlett is leading the team with a .379 average while Leah Segerlin is providing the power with a team high 22 RBI's… Celine Laracuente has been leading the pitching staff this season with a team high five wins.
 
Against SUNY Poly: Last season, the Pioneers defeated the Wildcats in both games of a double header, 4-3 and 9-1… In the second game of the twin bill, Rice went 3-for-4 in the game driving in two runs… Utica has one the last ten matchups between the two teams.
 
Scouting Fisher: The nationally ranked No. 6, St. John Fisher Cardinals are coming into this game with a 31-5 overall record and they are 10-2 in the Empire 8… Fisher is led by All-American pitcher, Lindsey Thayer… Thayer leads the conference in ERA (0.31), opposing batting average (.093), strikeouts (278), and wins (19)… At the plate three of the top four batters in the conference are on the Cardinal squad… Katie Mazierski leads the E8 with a .526 batting average, while Emma Savas (.462) and Sarah Kubik (.429) are third and fourth in the conference, respectively.
 
Against Fisher: Last season when these two teams met, they split a double header in which the Pioneers rebounded from a 4-2 loss in the first game to take game two, 2-0… Rice went 2-for-4 in that game driving in a run… In the last ten matchups between the teams, the Cardinals hold a 6-4 advantage.
 
Looking Ahead: The Pioneers will return to action on Tuesday for a home double header against Cazenovia College. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.