UTICA, NY- The Utica College softball team remains home on Sunday for an Empire 8 double header against Nazareth College. First pitch is scheduled for 1p.m.
 
Last Time Out: The team was last in action on Wednesday as it swept a double header (5-4 and 5-1) at home against Oswego State… In game one, with two on and two outs, senior Kassidy Ogren (Albany, NY/Colonie Central) hit a deep ball down the right field line to score two and give the Pioneers the walk off extra-inning victory… Pitcher Brittany Meka (Averill Park, NY/Averill Park) had 15 strikeouts in that game… Sabrina Stransky (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) led the Pioneers in game two hitting a three-run home run and pitched a complete game on the mound only allowing one run.
 
Stop DWI Game: Sunday's game will be played in honor of Chloe Calhoun, who was an 18 year old three sport student athlete at Auburn High School... Chloe played softball, field hockey, and ran cross country for Auburn... She started playing softball when she was seven years old and continued on until she tragically lost her life in a drunk driving crash on July 27, 2016… Chloe was an accepted incoming freshman at Utica College and grew to love the school and the chance to play softball for the Pioneers... Chloe's former teammates, family, and friends will all be in attendance at the contest on Sunday… The UC softball team wears angel wings on their helmets, and wristbands on their arms as a reminder of their teammate that never got a chance to see the field… The Pioneers will also be joined by representatives from both the Oneida and Cayuga County Stop-DWI programs, including Traci Coulson and Tom Giruzzi.
 
Staying Hot: Sophomore Nicole Rice (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South) leads the way for the Pioneers hitting an even .500 on the season, a mark that has her tied for second in the Empire 8 Conference… Her 26 hits lead the team and she is also first on the squad with five triples and 14 runs scored.
 
Meka's Mound: Junior Brittany Meka (Averill Park, NY/Averill Park) is controlling the mound for the Pioneers this season coming into the game with a 5-1 record… She is fifth in the conference with a 1.46 earned run average and has allowed opposing batters to hit just .205 against her… Meka is second in the conference as well with 65 strikeouts.
 
Freshmen Stepping Up: Jacqueline Aronin (Naugatuck, CT/Naugatuck High School) and Madison Akots (Wynantskill, NY/Emma Willard School) are two freshmen who are putting up good numbers for the Pioneers this season… Aronin holds the team's second best batting average of .347 and she has 17 hits and seven RBIs… Akots, on the other hand, has the team's third best batting average of .342 this season… She also has 13 hits and six RBIs.
 
Scouting Naz: The Golden Flyers are 9-7 overall and 2-2 in the conference… They are coming off a pair of losses to Geneseo on Wednesday… Naz has three players with a batting average over .400, led by sophomore Marissa Tortora, who is hitting .455… Senior Rachel Mertens has a team-best .96 ERA in eight appearances. 
 
Against the Golden Flyers: The Pioneers are 10-10 against Nazareth since 2007 … Last year, UC dropped a double header at Naz, losing 3-2 in eight innings in game one, and 2-0 in game two… Sabrina Stransky (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) led the way as she was 4-for-7 on the day, while classmate Samantha Whitehouse (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich) was 2-for-3 in game two.
 
Looking Ahead: The Pioneers will return to action on Tuesday as they host Hamilton College… Game time is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.