UTICA, NY- The Utica College softball team met a heartbreaking end to its 2019 campaign Monday as it split with Nazareth College, eliminating the Pioneers from postseason contention. Utica dropped the first game 4-3, before earning an 11-5 comeback win in game two.
 
The Pioneers wrap up the regular season with an 18-20 overall record and a 6-8 mark in the Empire 8.  Utica finishes tied with Nazareth for fourth place in the E8 standings, but the Golden Flyers hold the tiebreaker to clinch the final spot in the conference tournament.
 
Utica 3, Nazareth 4- Game One Final
Trailing 4-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning with the tying run on second base, senior Nicole Rice (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South) hit a clutch two-out single to left field. Junior Jamie Miller (Boonville, NY/Adirondack) reached third base as the ball rolled to a stop.  Miller was waved around third as Nazareth left fielder Janelle Walters threw a bullet towards home plate. The ball just beat Miller, who was tagged out on the play, preserving the win for the visitors.
 
Utica took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the third thanks to RBIs by Sadie Evans (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) and Kaitlyn Paul (Albany, NY/Guilderland).  Nazareth responded however with a run in each of the next three innings to take a 4-3 lead. 
 
Miller led Utica going 3-for-4 in game one with two runs scored, while Paul was 2-for-2 with two RBIs.  Sara Stransky (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) and Madison Judge (Albany, NY/Colonie) also had hits.
 
Gabriella Caccamo (Suffern, NY/Suffern) gave up five hits and two earned runs in four innings of work, while Alyssa Samborin (Schenectady, NY/Mohonasen) struck out one and allowed two hits in three innings of relief.
 
Utica 11, Nazareth 5- Game Two Final
The Golden Flyers took a 5-0 lead after the first two innings, but the Pioneers were able to regroup in the third to start a comeback. 
 
Sadie Evans (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) got things going with a single down the right field line that drove in one.  The next batter, Nicole Rice (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South) doubled to center field to score Evans and Jamie Miller (Boonville, NY/Adirondack).  Just one batter later, freshman Kaitlyn Paul (Albany, NY/Guilderland) evened the score with a two-run home run to center field for her second homer of the season.
 
The Pioneers kept up the pressure with three runs in the fourth as Miller, Rice, and Paul each drove in runs. UC capped off the day with three more scores in the sixth to make it 11 unanswered runs for the home team.
 
Rice finished 3-for-4 at the plate with four RBIs and two runs scored.  She became just the third player in program history to record 200 hits in a career.  Evans, Paul, and Madison Judge (Albany, NY/Colonie) were each 2-for-4, with Paul finishing with four RBIs as well. 
 
Miller, Sara Stransky (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place), Megan O'Keefe (Albany, NY/Bethlehem Central), and Hayley Fredericks (Suffern, NY/Suffern) each finished with one hit in the win.  Freshman Jane Field (Waterford, NY/Catholic Central) struck out five and allowed just three hits in 6.1 innings of relief.
 
The Pioneers bid farewell to three seniors: Nicole Rice (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South), Hayley Fredericks (Suffern, NY/Suffern), and Renee DeResh (Wappingers Falls, NY/Roy C. Ketcham).  Over the last four years, the class of 2019 helped lead Utica to 77 wins and two Empire 8 Conference Tournament appearances, including a spot in the E8 Championship game last season.