UTICA, NY- After extending its win streak to eight games, the Utica College softball team looks to keep its momentum rolling as the Pioneers travel to Nazareth College on Thursday for an Empire 8 Conference doubleheader. Game one is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

Last Time Out: UC swept Houghton College on Monday in a doubleheader... In game one, the Pioneers defeated the Highlanders 10-2 in five innings while winning the second game 7-1... Catcher Jamie Miller (Boonville, NY/Adirondack) led the day for Utica as she was 5-for-7 at the plate with five singles (two bunted), had two runs, one walk, and a stolen base… Samantha Whitehouse (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich) finished 5-for-6 while Madison Akots (Wynantskill, NY/Emma Willard School) finished 3-for-6. Whitehouse and Akots each drove in four batters on the day...  Freshman pitcher Gabby Caccamo (Suffern, NY/Suffern) picked up her seventh win of the season in game one as she went five innings giving up two runs (one earned) on five hits and struck out two... In game two, sophomore Alyssa Samborin (Schenectady, NY/Mohonasen) pitched the complete game giving up one unearned run on six hits and struck out a season-high seven batters.
 
Akots leads the Empire 8: After her solid performance against Houghton College on Monday, sophomore Madison Akots (Wynantskill, NY/Emma Willard School) currently leads the Empire 8 Conference with a .513 batting average and a 0.558 on-base percentage…  She has 20 hits, including five doubles, 14 RBIs, and eight runs in 39 at-bats this season…  Behind Akots, Jamie Miller (Boonville, NY/Adirondack) and Nicole Rice (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South) are fifth and sixth in the conference, batting .437 and .436, respectively.
 
Solid Pitching: Both Gabby Caccamo (Suffern, NY/Suffern) and Alyssa Samborin (Schenectady, NY/Mohonasen) have each won their last four consecutive starts... Caccamo also has three straight starts of allowing just two runs, which brings her ERA to a 2.82 on the year (sixth in E8)… In Samborin's last four starts, she has allowed just four earned runs total and she has struck out 16 batters.
 
Current Record: The Pioneers are currently third in the E8 with a 6-2 conference record after sweeping Alfred and Houghton and getting swept by Stevens...  After facing Nazareth on Thursday, UC has two conference and one non-conference doubleheaders left before the Empire 8 Tournament.

Scouting Nazareth: The Golden Flyers are currently 9-15 overall and 2-6 in the conference… Offensively, Nazareth is led by freshman outfielder Janelle Walters, who has a .410 batting average... Freshman pitcher Gabriella Corasaniti is 3-7 with a 3.43 ERA in 13 appearances while sophomore Kylie Smith is 4-5 with a 3.96 ERA in 11 appearances.
 
All-Time Against Nazareth: UC is 10-12 all-time against Nazareth and the teams are 5-5 in the last five years… In 2017, the Golden Flyers swept the Pioneers at Greenman Field 7-3 and 4-0… Nicole Rice (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South) went 2-for-4 in the series with two doubles, two runs and two walks... Dominique Soto (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place), Jamie Miller (Boonville, NY/Adirondack) and Sabrina Stransky (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) each had one hit on the day.

Looking Ahead: The Pioneers will return home to face Sage in an Empire 8 Conference double-header on Senior Day Saturday before finishing their regular season on the road. Saturday's first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.