ITHACA, NY- The Utica College softball team took nationally ranked No. 24 Ithaca College to extra innings in game one, but fell 5-4 and then dropped a 9-1 decision in game two in a pair of non-conference contests Wednesday afternoon. Freshman
Madison Judge (Albany, NY/Colonie) was 3-for-4 over the two games to lead the Pioneers.
Utica 4, Ithaca 5 (8 Innings)- Game One Final
The Pioneers got things going in the second inning as Judge hit a two-out single that scored senior
Sabrina Stransky (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place). The Bombers responded with a run in the bottom of the inning to even the score.
Utica regained the lead in the top of the third when Stransky rocketed a three-run blast over the center field fence for her conference-leading sixth home run of the year.
Facing a 4-2 deficit Ithaca was down to its final two outs before Vanessa Brown evened the score with a two-run shot to left field.
Utica was unable to get anything going in the eighth, leading to a walk off single by Ithaca in the bottom half of the inning.
Stransky was 2-for-4 with two runs scored, while Judge was 2-for-2 with an RBI. Sophomore catcher
Jamie Miller (Boonville, NY/Adirondack) also had a hit for Utica.
Freshman
Gabby Caccamo (Suffern, NY/Suffern) struck out two and allowed just three earned fruns in 6.1 innings of work as she shouldered the loss.
Utica 1, Ithaca 9 (5 Innings)- Game Two Final
Utica jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first as
Madison Judge (Albany, NY/Colonie) hit her first career home run, but the Bombers responded with nine unanswered runs and the Bombers did not allow another hit, to come away with the run-rule victory.
Alyssa Samborin (Schenectady, NY/Mohonasen),
Alexandra Sprauer (Pleasant Valley/Arlington), and
Madison Akots (Wynantskill, NY/Emma Willard School) each saw action in the circle, with Samborin taking the loss. Ithaca's Beth Fleming struck out five and allowed just one hit as she improved to 3-2 on the year.
Utica will look to bounce back next Wednesday as it travels to Oswego State. Game time is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.