CLERMONT, FL- The Utica University softball team bounced back with a pair of wins on its second day in Florida, topping Oswego State 4-1 in 10 innings and earning a 7-6 walkoff win against Mount Saint Mary College in the second game of the day.
 
Utica 4, Oswego 1 (10 Inn.)- Final
Game one was a pitcher's duel as the teams combined for four hits through seven innings, with little to show for it.  Abbigayle Finch (New Paltz, NY/New Paltz) had the lone hit for the Pioneers, which came in the third inning.  Neither team was able to get anything going through the extra innings until Utica finally broke the deadlock in the top of the 10^th.
 
With runners on second and third with no outs, Kaitlyn Paul (Albany, NY/Guilderland) hit a clutch sacrifice fly to center field to score Brooke Catlin (Brewerton, NY/Central Square High School).  Next up, freshman Abigail Sacks (Colonie, NY/Colonie) double down the left field line to bring in one.  Just two batters later, Finch had her second hit of the day, this time an RBI single to make it 3-0 in favor of the Pioneers.  Finch was driven in just two batters later when freshman Taylor Kraft (Loudonville, NY/Shaker ) hit an RBI single of her own.
 
Oswego threatened in the bottom half of the innings as it had runners at the corners with no outs, but the Utica defense picked up a huge double play.  Despite the Lakers plating one run, the Pioneers forced the next batter to pop up to second base to secure their first win of the young season. 
 
Finch led the way for Utica going 2-for-4 and freshman Kylie Murray (Eastchester, NY/Eastchester ) was lights out, fanning eight and allowing just three hits in 10 innings of work to pick up her first collegiate win.  Her counterpart, Fiona Higgins struck out 14 in the circle for Oswego. 
 
Utica 7, Mount Saint Mary 6- Final
Still riding the highs of the extra inning victory, Utica exploded for five runs in the bottom of the first against Mount Saint Mary to put the Knights on their heels.  Although Mount Saint Mary plated one in the top of the second, Utica responded with one of its own in the bottom half of the inning to regain the five-run lead. 
 
The Knights inched back with a run in the fourth to cut the deficit to 6-2 and a four-run outburst in the sixth evened the score.  Alicia Killeen started the rally with a two-RBI triple and then she was brought home by the next batter.  The Knights added one more run before Utica was able to stop the bleeding.
 
The Pioneer defense held strong in the next inning to head to the bottom of the seventh with the score knotted 6-6.  With two outs and runners on first and second, senior Emily Joss (South Glens Falls, NY/South Glens Falls) singled to left center to drive in the winning run.
 
Sacks was 3-for-3 with one run scored and an RBI, while Finch, Joss, and Kaitlyn Paul (Albany, NY/Guilderland) were each 2-for-4.  Lauren Paul (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland), Taylor Kraft (Loudonville, NY/Shaker ), and Erica Sanford (Boonville, NY/Adirondack) also had hits for Utica.  Kylie Murray (Eastchester, NY/Eastchester ) picked up her second win of the day as she had one strikeout and allowed just three hits in relief of starter Jordyn Conte (Newport, NY/West Canada Valley High School).
 
The Pioneers (2-2) will take on Hod College (10 a.m.) and New Paltz (12:15 p.m.) on Tuesday.