LITTLE RIVER, SC - The Utica University softball team fell in both of its final games of the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic, 5-3 to UMass Boston and 4-3 to Lycoming College, on Friday afternoon. 
 
UMass Boston 5, Utica 3
 
Emily Joss (South Glens Falls, NY/South Glens Falls), Maddie Zulager (Moorpark, CA/Moorpark) and Abigail Sacks (Colonie, NY/Colonie) led the team with one hit each while Joss was responsible for Utica's lone RBIs. In the circle, Jordyn Conte (Newport, NY/West Canada Valley High School) allowed two runs, one earned, on seven hits over 5.2 innings. She also struck out four hitters and walked one. Lucia Gargiulo (Massapequa, NY/Massapequa) was handed her first loss of the year after allowing two runs on three hits over 0.1 innings. 
 
After the Pioneers went down in order in the top of the 1st, UMass Boston scored three batters into the bottom half on an RBI single to jump ahead 1-0. However, Conte struck out the next hitter before inducing a popout to second to end the frame. 
 
Utica opened the 2nd with a pair of baserunners by way of hit by pitches with none away. The team was shortly staring down two outs after Abriana Wadley (Utica, NY/Proctor) was caught stealing and Taylor Kraft (Loudonville, NY/Shaker) struck out, but an E6 allowed Maddie Zulager (Moorpark, CA/Moorpark) to come home from second to even the game 1-1. The game remained 1-1 entering the top of the 3rd after Conte retired the UMass Boston side in order in the bottom of the 2nd. 
 
The two teams traded scoreless innings in the 3rd and 4th until Utica captured its first lead of the afternoon. With two aboard and one away, Joss sent a double into the right-center field gap to bring home Sacks and Bailey McElwain (Baldwinsville, NY/Charles W. Baker High School) for a 3-1 advantage. The Pioneers took that lead into the home half of the inning while UMass Boston scored one unearned run to come within one at 3-2 entering the 6th. 
 
After a scoreless top half by Utica, UMass Boston jumped back ahead after scoring three runs as the Pioneers trailed 5-3 entering the final inning of play. 
 
Looking to mount a comeback, Sacks started the inning reaching on an error while Brooke Catlin (Brewerton, NY/Central Square High School) took over the basepaths for her. An Alyssa Barbato (Rhinebeck, NY/Rhinebeck) gave the Pioneers runners on first and second with none away however, the next three hitters went down in order as Utica suffered its first loss of the season. 
 
Lycoming 4, Utica 3
 
At the Plate, Emily Joss (South Glens Falls, NY/South Glens Falls) led Utica with two hits followed by six others with one each. Brooke Catlin (Brewerton, NY/Central Square High School) drove in a team high two runs while Lauren Paul (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) had one. 
 
In the circle, Kylie Murray (Eastchester, NY/Eastchester) picked up her first loss of the season after four innings pitched allowing four runs, none of which were earned, on six hits. Lucia Gargiulo (Massapequa, NY/Massapequa) came in for three scoreless innings of relief with just two hits allowed and no walks issued over 11 batters faced. 
 
The Pioneers started out ahead with an RBI single by Lauren Paul (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) in the bottom of the 1st inning. Murray kept Lycoming off the board up until the 4th inning. 
 
With the bases loaded and one out, an E6 gave Lycoming its first run of the game and was followed by a sacrifice flyout and a two-RBI single for a 4-1 advantage. 
 
Utica came back with two runs of its own in the home half as Catlin doubled home Cassidy Doiron (Beacon Falls, CT/Woodland Regional) and Bailey McElwain (Baldwinsville, NY/Charles W. Baker High School) to bring the Pioneers back within one run. 
 
Gargiulo entered to pitch in the top of the 5th and kept Utica in the game over her three innings of work. Despite getting a runner on base in each of the final three innings, the Pioneers were unable to bring anyone home to tie the game as the team wetn on to fall 4-3. 
 
Utica (7-2, 0-0 Empire 8) will come back to Utica for its home opener against Cazenovia College on Saturday, March 25. First pitch of game one from Greenman Field is set for 1 p.m.