UTICA, NY - The Utica University softball team begins a very busy week with eight home games. The team will begin the week facing Skidmore College on Tuesday, April 12 at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. before facing Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on Wednesday, April 13 at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. The team then squares off against Nazareth College on Saturday, April 15 at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. before concluding the week against St. John Fisher University on Sunday, April 16 at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
 
Follow Along: Those unable to attend the games can tune in for live video and/or stats via https://bit.ly/2wtxUV5. 
 
Last Time Out: The team and the Elmira College Soaring Eagles split Saturday's two-game set. Utica came out with a 6-3 win in game one before Elmira salvaged its afternoon with a 5-3 win in the second game. Emily Joss (South Glens Falls, NY/South Glens Falls) continued her hot stretch at the plate as she went 3-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored. Abigail Sacks (Colonie, NY/Colonie) and Kylie Murray (Eastchester, NY/Eastchester) each went 2-for-4 in the win, Sacks doing so with a pair of runs driven in. Maddie Zulager (Moorpark, CA/Moorpark) also drove in two runs. In the circle, Jordyn Conte (Newport, NY/West Canada Valley High School) bounced back with a complete game win. Over her seven innings of work, the senior allowed three runs, two earned, on five hits with a career-high nine strikeouts and two walks. The Pioneers started the game with a three-run top of the 1st. Murray and Zulager each had RBI doubles while Sacks singled home a run to give Conte breathing room before even having thrown a pitch. Conte shut down the Elmira offense for three straight innings before allowing her first run in the bottom of the 4th. Yet, the Pioneers still led 3-1 going into the 5th. There, the team tacked on three more runs to jump ahead 6-1. Cassidy Doiron (Beacon Falls, CT/Woodland Regional) and Sacks each connected for RBI singles while Zulager drove one home by way of a sacrifice fly. However, the Soaring Eagles got two runs back in the bottom half on a two-out, two-RBI triple to cut its deficit to 6-3. Conte would not be fazed as she recorded the final six outs of the game over just seven batters to preserve the game one win. Emily Joss (South Glens Falls, NY/South Glens Falls) and Maddie Zulager (Moorpark, CA/Moorpark) led the team with two hits each, Joss doing so with an RBI as well. Four other Pioneers had one hit in the game, Abigail Sacks (Colonie, NY/Colonie) and Alyssa Barbato (Rhinebeck, NY/Rhinebeck) doing so with an RBI each. Kylie Murray (Eastchester, NY/Eastchester) tossed all six innings allowing five runs on six hits with seven strikeouts and three walks in the losing effort. Utica claimed an early 1-0 lead in the top of the 2nd inning when Abigail Sacks (Colonie, NY/Colonie) singled home Maddie Zulager (Moorpark, CA/Moorpark). Elmira would respond though with a solo home run in the bottom half to move the game into the 3rd even 1-1. The Soaring Eagles took the lead on an RBI single in the 3rd before turning in a three-run 5th inning to jump ahead 5-1. Utica, looking to mount a comeback, scored twice in the 6th inning with RBI singles by Barbato and Joss to come within two runs. Murray pitched a clean 6th to lead the Pioneers into the 7th and final inning trailing 5-3. However, Utica could only produce one hit in the frame as Elmira hung on for the game two win. 
 
Where We Stand: The Pioneers have been off to a scorching start with a 12-6 overall record and 3-1 conference record which has them tied for first in the Empire 8. The team sports the best average in the conference batting .334. Utica also has the most hits in the conference with 183 which is 34 more than second place. The team's powerhouse offense also leads in RBIs, total bases, and slugging percentage. Utica's pitching has also been dominant, ranking top-three in the conference in wins, shutouts, saves, and earned runs allowed.
 
Ol' Reliable: Emily Joss (South Glens Falls, NY/South Glens Falls) was named Empire 8 Player of the Week and extended her hitting streak to 11 games this weekend with a 10-14 performance at the plate in a 3-1 weekend for Utica. Out of her 10 hits, Joss went for extra-bases six times with five doubles and a home run. She also drove in four runs and scored nine times over the team's four Empire 8 games. In the team's sweep of Keuka, Joss went 5-8 with two doubles, a home run, three RBI and seven runs scored. Against Elmira on Saturday, she went 5-6 with three doubles, an RBI and two runs scored. Her .475 batting average tops the Empire 8 and is also a top-70 mark nationally. Joss also holds top-five E8 marks with 27 runs scored and 47 total bases this season. 
 
Cali Love: Maddie Zulager (Moorpark, CA/Moorpark) is amid a four-game hitting streak and enjoyed quite the week batting .500 against Keuka and Elmira. The freshman had two doubles, five RBIs, and five runs scored over the course of the week. The Moorpark, CA native is enjoying a wonderful start to her Pioneer career batting .321 with 17 hits, six doubles, and 11 RBIs over her first 18 games.
 
LP's World: Last week, Lauren Paul (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) was named to the 2023 TUCCI/NFCA Division III Player and Pitcher of the Year Watchlist. A total of 141 student-athletes were honored from the nation's 10 regions. The sophomore infielder ranks within the top-five in the Empire 8 with a .371 batting average, three home runs and 20 RBI. 
 
Scouting Skidmore: The Thoroughbreds are 7-10 this season and are amid a four-game winning streak after sweeping Russell Sage and SUNY Delhi last week. The team has a trio of fantastic hitters all hitting over .400 with at least 46 at bats. Meghan Robertson is batting .474 with two home runs, two triples, seven doubles and 13 RBIs. Grace O'Connell sports a .457 average with four doubles and two triples. Chloe McGonagle is batting .400 with seven doubles and a team-leading 18 RBIs. In the circle, Lindsey Raimondi leads the way with a 3.20 ERA, six complete games and 60 strikeouts over 59 innings pitched. Robertson is another viable option with a 6.64 ERA and 39 innings logged.
 
Facing RPI: The Engineers are 11-5 this season and have won three of the last four games including splitting their last series against SUNY Oneonta on April 3. The team will face SUNY Cortland on Tuesday, April 11 before clashing with Utica on Wednesday, April 12. Callista Adorno leads the way with a .442 batting average, two home runs and a team-leading 17 RBIs in her freshman campaign. Alex Ledger and Erin Askins are two more viable hitters with each batting at least .366 with at least fifteen hits and five doubles. In the circle, Brooke Sroczinski sports a 2.69 ERA with a 2-1 record over 26 innings pitched. Erika Holowka and Alexis Cooke are two more reliable arms with each logging at least 27.2 innings or more and under a 4.25 ERA.
 
Looking at Naz: The Golden Flyers are 8-6 this season and sport a 3-1 conference record which has them tied for first with Utica in the Empire 8. Nazareth is coming off a sweep of Houghton and will face Buffalo State on Wednesday, April 12 before squaring off with Utica on Saturday, April 15. Sarah Simmons, Maggie Burdick, and Marissa Berghorn all sport a .356 average or higher with at least 15 hits, two doubles, and five RBIs. Maddy Spakoski is the team's top run producer with 16 RBIs and three doubles this season. Emily Daciw has been the team's ace with a 2.24 ERA with a 7-1 record and seven complete games over 50 innings pitched. Hallie Bennett is another solid arm with seven appearances and three complete games with 31 innings pitched.
 
Fisher Outlook: The Cardinals are 12-10 this season and sport a 1-3 Empire 8 record which has them fourth in the conference. Fisher just got swept by Alfred over the weekend in back-to-back walk off fashion and will clash with Russell Sage on Saturday, April 15 before facing off with Utica on Sunday. Allie Klonwski is batting .313 with six doubles, three home runs and a team-leading 13 RBIs. Mari Spitz and Madi Rose are two more reliable bats with both having at least 18 hits this season. Cassidy Ormond is the team's ace with an Empire 8 leading 1.41 ERA and sports a 5-1 record with two shutouts and 44.2 innings pitched this season. 

Up Next: The team will begin a four-game road trip starting with a doubleheader against Russell Sage College on Wednesday, April 19 at 3 p.m. with game two scheduled for 5 p.m.