UTICA, NY- The Utica College softball team clinched a spot in the Empire 8 Conference tournament and stretched its winning streak to 12 games as it swept visiting Sage 18-4 and 7-0 in Empire 8 Conference action Saturday afternoon.
 
The Pioneers (18-14, 10-2 Empire 8) will wrap up conference play on Sunday at nationally ranked No. 9 St. John Fisher College.  If Utica takes both games from the Cardinals, it will earn the top seed and hosting rights for the conference tournament for the first time since 2013.
 
Utica 18, Sage 4 (5 Innings)- Game One Final
The Pioneers jumped out to an 8-0 lead in the first inning and never looked back as they cruised to the run-rule victory.  Nicole Rice (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South) led the way as she was 4-for-4 with three runs scored, while Kimberly Beattie (Levitton, NY/Division Ave), Sabrina Stransky (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place), and Dominique Soto (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) each had a team-high three RBIs.
 
Beattie and Madison Judge (Albany, NY/Colonie) were each 2-for-3 with three runs scored, while Samantha Whitehouse (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich) was 2-for-4.  Madison Akots (Wynantskill, NY/Emma Willard School), Jamie Miller (Boonville, NY/Adirondack), Sabrina Stransky (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place), Sara Stransky (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place), Brigid Johndrow (Bristol, CT/St. Paul Catholic), and Dominique Soto (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) also had hits, including a 3-run blast over the left field fence by Soto for her third homer of the year.
 
Gabriella Caccamo (Suffern, NY/Suffern) struck out three and allowed just three hits as she picked up her 10^th win of the season.
 
Utica 7, Sage 0- Game Two Final
The Pioneers got on the board in the bottom of the first thanks to an RBI single by Madison Akots (Wynantskill, NY/Emma Willard School) that scored Jamie Miller (Boonville, NY/Adirondack).  Utica added to its lead in the third inning, once again thanks to an RBI by Akots that scored Madison Judge (Albany, NY/Colonie).  Just three batters later, Dominique Soto (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) singled to center field to bring home Akots.
 
The Pioneers got some insurance in the fifth inning thanks to a three-RBI double by Jamie Miller (Boonville, NY/Adirondack) to extend the lead to 6-0 before Soto was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to bring in the final run of the day.
 
Miller was 2-for-3 in game two, while Judge and Akots were each 2-for-4.  Soto, Samantha Whitehouse (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich), Sadie Evans (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa), and Brigid Johndrow (Bristol, CT/St. Paul Catholic) also had hits.
 
Alyssa Samborin (Schenectady, NY/Mohonasen) struck out four and allowed just five hits in her second shutout of the season.