SCHENECTADY, NY - The Utica University softball team and the Union College Dutchwomen met for a pair of extra-inning thrillers on Saturday afternoon. Union took game one 10-9 in eight innings before the Pioneers claimed game two with a 6-4 win in nine frames. 
 
Union 10, Utica 9 (8 Inn.)
Lauren Paul (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) had quite the performance at the dish in the first game as the sophomore went 3-for-5 with a home run, a double and five runs driven in. Emily Joss (South Glens Falls, NY/South Glens Falls) had a three-hit game as well with a pair of doubles, two RBI and four runs scored. Five other Pioneers totaled one hit in the game. 
 
Jordyn Conte (Newport, NY/West Canada Valley High School) started the game and went seven innings in the circle allowing seven runs on ten hits with two walks and strikeouts apiece en route to the no decision. Lucia Gargiulo (Massapequa, NY/Massapequa) was credited with the loss after allowing three runs, two earned, on a hit and a walk in the 8th inning. 
 
Union held an early 3-0 lead after two full innings before Utica scored its first run of the game in the top of the 3rd. Kylie Murray (Eastchester, NY/Eastchester) swiped second and the throw down allowed Joss to score from third base. 
 
Union got the run back in the bottom half however, to lead 4-1 going into the 4th inning. 
 
The Pioneers capitalized on a bases loaded, one out situation in the early stages of the frame. A walk drawn by Joss allowed Brooke Catlin (Brewerton, NY/Central Square High School) to score while a sacrifice fly by Murray brought home another run to make it a 4-3 game. With two away and two on, Lauren Paul (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) connected for a three-run home run, her third of the season, to propel Utica to a 6-4 lead. 
 
Union scored one of its own in the bottom of the 4th while both sides came up empty in the 5th as Utica went into the 6th inning up 6-5. There, Paul doubled home Joss to bring the team's lead to 7-5. Conte pitched a clean 6th while the Pioneers couldn't score in the top of the 7th as Union faced its final three outs down by two. 
 
The home team battled back with a two-run 7th to move the game into extras. In the 8th, Joss and Paul each drove home a run to once again give Utica a two-run lead going into the home half. Once again, the Dutchwomen responded but this time, doing so in walk-off fashion to take game one. 
 
Utica 6, Union 4 (9 Inn.)
Erica Sanford (Boonville, NY/Adirondack) led Utica with two hits, one of which going for extra-bases, in three trips to the plate. Emily Joss (South Glens Falls, NY/South Glens Falls) went 1-for-2 with three walks while Lauren Paul (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) led the team with a pair of runs driven in. 
 
In the circle, Kylie Murray (Eastchester, NY/Eastchester) went the distance allowing four runs, two earned, on eight hits while issuing no walks and striking out seven batters. 
 
The Pioneers drew first blood in the second game with an RBI groundout by Paul in the top of the 1st. Murray got out of her half of the inning without allowing the run while Utica also then went quiet in the top of the 2nd. 
 
In the home half, a wild pitch by Murray allowed Union to tie the game 1-1 before Utica regained the lead in the top of the 3rd thanks to an outfield error by Union. However, the Dutchwomen claimed its first lead of the game in the bottom half on the 3rd with a two-RBI single. 
 
With Union still up 3-2 in the top of the 5th, Murray helped her own cause with a sacrifice fly to bring home the tying run as the game remained 3-3 all the way until the teams reached the 9th inning of play. 
 
There, Abigail Sacks (Colonie, NY/Colonie) scored on an E1 before Bailey McElwain (Baldwinsville, NY/Charles W. Baker High School) doubled home Brooke Catlin (Brewerton, NY/Central Square High School) to give the team a 5-3 lead. Taylor Kraft (Loudonville, NY/Shaker) then singled home McElwain as the Pioneers entered the home half up 6-3. 
 
Although Union scored one in the 9th, Murray quickly shut the door on another walk-off to salvage a series split. 
 
Utica (9-5, 0-0 Empire 8) will return home on Wednesday to host Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m.