Utica, NY – The Utica College softball team is set for a busy weekend as it hosts Nazareth College and St. John Fisher College for a pair of Empire 8 Conference doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday. The first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. both days. 
 
Last Time Out: The Pioneers are coming off a thrilling sweep over Oswego State on Wednesday… UC took the first game 4-2 and then erased an eight-run deficit in the fourth inning to come away with a 17-13 win… Junior Sadie Evans (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) had a monster day as she was 6-for-7 with four runs scored and three RBIs over the two games...  Sophomore Madison Judge (Albany, NY/Colonie) had two RBIs, two hits and one successful stolen base to help lead Utica to the win in game one… In game two, freshman Megan O'Keefe (Albany, NY/Bethlehem Central) was 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored, while classmate Kaitlyn Paul (Albany, NY/Guilderland) was 2-for-3 with four RBIs and two runs scored. 
 
Front of the Pack: Junior Sadie Evans (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) leads the Pioneers and ranks seventh in the conference with a .410 batting average to go along with her team-best 12 runs scored… Evans is 4-for-4 on stolen bases and she has a team-high .513 slugging percentage. 
 
300 Club: Senior Nicole Rice (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South) and junior Jacqueline Aronin (Naugatuck, CT/Naugatuck High School) are the two other starters who are batting over .300 on the season… Rice has a .380 average and she leads the team with five doubles, 11 RBIs, and a .426 on base percentage… Aronin is batting .304 and she has a team-leading five walks. 
 
Scouting Nazareth College: The Nazareth Golden Flyers are currently 4-8 overall. They are coming off a pair of losses to Geneseo on Wednesday… Naz dropped the first game 1-0 before falling 9-1 in game two… Katherine Ruoff has a .478 average in 10 games played, while Sarah Simmons has a team-leading 11 RBIs on the season.
 
Against Naz: The Pioneers are 12-12 all-time against Nazareth College… In their meeting last season, Utica swept the Golden Flyers in the double header, winning the first game 4-1 and the second game 9-7... Nicole Rice (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South) led the way as she was 6-for-8 including a home run on the day.
 
Scouting St. John Fisher: The St. John Fisher Cardinals are currently 8-11. They're coming off a pair of losses against RIT, dropping the first game 6-1 and losing game two 10-9… Senior Ashley Prince leads the team with a .383 batting average and 10 runs scored this season. 
 
Against St. John Fisher: The Pioneers are 2-11 against Fisher in the last five years… The last time Utica defeated the Cardinals was in 2016 when Utica came away with a 2-0 win… Nicole Rice (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South) had one RBI and two hits.
 
Looking Ahead: The Pioneers will remain home on Tuesday as they host Ithaca College… The double header is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m.