ELMIRA, NY - The Utica University softball team and the Elmira College Soaring Eagles split Saturday's two-game set. Utica came out with a win in game one before Elmira salvaged its afternoon with a win in the second game.
Utica 6, Elmira 3
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.
Elmira 5, Utica 3
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.
Utica (12-6, 3-1 Empire 8) will return to non-conference play on April 11 when the team hosts Skidmore College for a pair starting at 4 p.m.
