KISSIMMEE, FL- The Utica College softball team dropped both games on the final day of The Spring Games in Kissimmee, FL on Friday, falling to Franklin and Marshall College 6-4 and Concordia University Chicago 10-1.
 
Senior Nicole Rice (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South) led Utica going 4-for-7 on the day with a run scored.  Rice now ranks second on the team with a .367 batting average in ten games played this season. 
 
Utica 4, F&M 6- Game One Final
The teams traded runs over the first three innings but the Diplomats pulled ahead with two runs in the top of the sixth to take a 4-1 lead.  Utica responded in the bottom half of the inning, however, thanks to RBI doubles by Hayley Fredericks (Suffern, NY/Suffern) and Jamie Miller (Boonville, NY/Adirondack) to tie the game at 4-4.  Franklin and Marshall tacked on two more runs in the top of the seventh, but this time the Pioneers were not able to even the score as F&M went on to take the game 6-4.
 
Miller, Rice, and Jacqueline Aronin (Naugatuck, CT/Naugatuck High School) each went 2-for-4 at the plate in game one.  Fredericks, Renee DeResh (Wappingers Falls, NY/Roy C. Ketcham), Emily Joss (South Glens Falls, NY/South Glens Falls), Sara Stransky (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place), and Madison Judge (Albany, NY/Colonie) each had one hit.  Gabriella Caccamo (Suffern, NY/Suffern) and Alyssa Samborin (Schenectady, NY/Mohonasen) combined for four strikeouts on the day.
 
Utica 1, Concordia-Chicago 10 (5 Inn.)- Game Two Final
The Cougars jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first and added six more scores in the third inning to earn the victory. 
 
Nicole Rice (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South) led the Pioneers going 2-for-3 in game two, while Utica also had hits from Madison Judge (Albany, NY/Colonie), Kaitlyn Paul (Albany, NY/Guilderland), and Megan O'Keefe (Albany, NY/Bethlehem Central).  Freshman Jane field struck out three in 2.1 innings of work, while Rachel Caswell (Utica, NY/Notre Dame) came on in relief. 
 
The Pioneers (4-6) return to action next weekend as they host Ithaca College on Saturday for their home opener.  Game one of the double-header is scheduled to start at 12 p.m.