UTICA, NY- The Utica College softball team will travel to Stevens Institute of Technology on Saturday for its Empire 8 Conference opener. The first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
 
LAST TIME OUT: The Pioneers took #24 Ithaca College to extra innings in the first game of their series last Wednesday, falling 5-4 in eight innings, before dropping the second game 9-1… Freshman Madison Judge (Albany, NY/Colonie) was 3-for-4 over the two games, including her first collegiate home run, to lead the Pioneers… Senior Sabrina Stransky (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) continued her impressive start to the season, as she was 2-for-4 in the first game with a double and a three-run homer.
 
LEADING THE WAY: Senior Sabrina Stransky (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) has been on a tear to open the season… Stransky leads the team with a .467 batting average… She is first in the E8 with six home runs and 26 RBIs, and she ranks second in the conference with a 1.022 slugging percentage… Stransky has been held without a hit just once so far this season.
 
HELPING OUT: Junior Nicole Rice (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South) is second on the squad with a .400 batting average and eight RBIs… Amongst regular starters, Rice leads the Pioneers with a .481 on base percentage and seven walks… Classmate Hayley Fredericks (Suffern, NY/Suffern) has a  .480 average (12-for-25) in 10 games played… She ranks second on the team with two home runs and she is third in RBIs (seven).
 
SCOUTING STEVENS: The Ducks are 5-7 overall and 2-0 in the E8 after sweeping Elmira 5-0 and 9-0 on Saturday… Lauren Shirley leads the team with a .481 batting average and two home runs in nine games played.
 
AGAINST THE DUCKS: Utica is 5-5 against Stevens in the last five years, with three of those games going to extra innings… Last year, Utica dropped a 7-1 decision in eight innings, and fell 7-4 in game two.
 
NEXT TIME OUT: The Pioneers will travel to local rival, Hamilton College on Tuesday for a non-conference pair… Game time is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.