ROCHESTER, NY- The Utica College softball team had its 2021 campaign come to an end Tuesday as it was eliminated from the Empire 8 Conference Tournament. Utica dropped the opening game of the double-elimination tournament to top-seeded and nationally ranked No. 14 St. John Fisher College 5-0.  UC then fell to No. 2 seed Russell Sage College 6-4 in the elimination game.
 
Utica 0, St. John Fisher 5- Game One Final
After a scoreless first inning, Utica threatened in the top of the second with the bases loaded, but St. John Fisher's Jess Patterson picked up a big strikeout to get out of the inning. The score remained the same until the bottom of the third when Fisher was able to plate two runs.
 
The Cardinals tacked on three more runs in the sixth inning thanks to RBI singles by Allie Klonowski and Allison Rogowski.  That was all the home team needed as Patterson shut the Pioneers down with her first career no-hitter.
 
Utica's Gabriella Caccamo (Suffern, NY/Suffern) struck out two and allowed eight hits in the loss.
 
Utica 4, Russell Sage 6- Softball Elimination Game Final
The Gators got on the board in the top of the first inning when Taylor Dicranian doubled to left field to drive in one.  The Pioneers responded in the second with three runs, starting with an RBI single by Bailey McElwain (Baldwinsville, NY/Charles W. Baker High School) that drove in Sara Stransky (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place).  In the next at bat, senior Madison Akots (Wynantskill, NY/Emma Willard School) scored the go-ahead thanks to a throwing error by Sage.  Adrian Duvall (Lisbon, NY/Lisbon Central School) then drove in McElwain to give UC a two-run lead.
 
Sage responded in the next half inning with a pair of runs of its own to tie the game at 3-3.  The score remained the same until the sixth inning when Sage plated two runs on a Utica defensive miscue.
 
UC threatened in the bottom of the inning as it found itself with the bases loaded and only one out.  Freshman Erica Sanford (Boonvile, NY/Adirondack) singled through the left side to score Stransky and cut the Sage lead to one.  That was all the Gator defense would allow as they forced two groundouts to get out of the jam.
 
Sage tacked on an insurance tally in the seventh and the Pioneers could not get another across as the Gators held on to win.
 
Akots led the Pioneers going 3-for-4, while Stransky was 2-for-4 with two runs scored.  Julia Phelps (Waterford, NY/Shenendehowa High School), Brooke Catlin (Brewerton, NY/Central Square High School), and Gabriella Caccamo (Suffern, NY/Suffern) also had hits for the Pioneers.  Jordyn Conte (Newport, NY/West Canada Valley High School) struck out two and allowed four earned runs in the loss. 
 
Utica wraps up the season with a 14-15 overall record.  The Pioneers will bid farewell to seniors Sara Stransky (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place), Gabriella Caccamo (Suffern, NY/Suffern), and Madison Akots (Wynantskill, NY/Emma Willard School).