CLINTON, NY- The Utica College softball team split its doubleheader against local rival, Hamilton College as it topped the Continentals 9-4 in game one before dropping the second game 5-2 in non-conference action Tuesday afternoon. 
 
The Pioneers move to 6-12 on the year.  They will turn right around to take on University of Rochester Wednesday for their 2018 home opener.  The first pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
 
Utica 9, Hamilton 4- Game One Final
The Pioneers jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning and added four more scores in the seventh to come away with the victory in game one. 
 
With two outs in the top of the first, senior Sabrina Stransky (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) got the Pioneers on the board with an RBI single that scored Sadie Evans (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa).  Then, just three batters later, Sara Stransky (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) singled to bring in her sister and Dominique Soto (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place).  Next up, Samantha Whitehouse (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich) drove in Stransky and Madison Judge (Albany, NY/Colonie) with a single of her own.
 
Hamilton threatened in the later innings, scoring three in the fifth and adding a run in the sixth, but Utica pulled away plating four runs in the final frame.  Judge doubled to left center to score Sabrina Whitehouse (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich), and Jacqueline Aronin (Naugatuck, CT/Naugatuck High School) hit a three-RBI triple to seal the victory. 
 
The Stranskys combined to go 4-for-7 with three RBIs and three runs scored and Jamie Miller (Boonville, NY/Adirondack) was 3-for-4 in game one to pace the Pioneers.  Judge finished 2-for-3 at the dish with two runs scored, while Aronin and Nicole Rice (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South) were each 2-for-4.  Freshman Gabby Caccamo (Suffern, NY/Suffern) went the distance and allowed just three earned runs in a full seven innings of work to pick up her third win of the season. 
 
Utica 2, Hamilton 5- Game Two Final
The Pioneers picked up where they left off as they jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning thanks to a triple by Dominique Soto (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) that scored Sabrina Stransky (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) and Jamie Miller (Boonville, NY/Adirondack).  That was all the scoring Utica would get in game two as the Continentals stalled the UC offense and added runs in the third and fifth innings to pick up their ninth win of the season.
 
Soto and Jacqueline Aronin (Naugatuck, CT/Naugatuck High School) were each 2-for-3, while Nicole Rice (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South) and Sadie Evans (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) also had hits.  Sabrina Stransky (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) struck out one and gave up nine hits in the loss.