ALFRED, NY - The Utica University softball team fell in both games of its doubleheader at Alfred 8-7 and 11-0 (5 Inn.) on Saturday afternoon.
 
Alfred 8, Utica 7
 
It was a balanced offensive attack for the Pioneers with the team racking up 12 hits with four players having multiple hits. Emily Joss (South Glens Falls, NY/South Glens Falls), Maddie Zulager (Moorpark, CA/Moorpark), and Cassidy Doiron (Beacon Falls, CT/Woodland Regional) each smacked a pair of hits while driving in one. Alyssa Barbato (Rhinebeck, NY/Rhinebeck) went 2-for-3 with Rachel Little (Burbank, CA/John Burroughs) recording one hit and driving in two. Frankie Luster (Granada Hills, CA/Granada Hills Charter) had one hit and drove in one with Taylor Kraft (Loudonville, NY/Shaker) and Lauren Paul (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) also adding one hit.
 
Jordyn Conte (Newport, NY/West Canada Valley High School) got the start in the circle going two innings on six runs, four earned, allowing four hits with two walks and striking out one while being credited with the loss. Maggie Habernig (Kingston, NY/Kingston) relieved her pitching the final four innings allowing a pair of runs, none earned, on five hits while striking out six and hitting two batters.
 
Alfred struck first, capitalizing on a trio of errors in the bottom of the 1st to plate two runs and take a 2-0 lead. The Saxons put up another strong inning in the 2nd, tacking on four runs on three hits, using a home run to push the lead to 6-0 after two innings of play.
 
Utica responded in the 3rd as Barbato had a leadoff single and after a fielder's choice, Joss smacked a single to give the team a pair of baserunners. A Luster single to right field scored Little to cut the lead to 6-1 after three.
 
The Pioneers offense remained hot in the 4th with Paul, Doiron, and Barbato singling to load the bases with just one out. Little singled to score two and doubles by Joss and Zulager each plated a run to trim the deficit to 6-5. Yet, the Saxons responded in the bottom of the inning scoring twice to extend the lead to 8-5.
 
Kraft started the 5th with a double to left field and came around to score on a Dorion single to make it an 8-6 game which would stand as the game's final.
 
Alfred 11, Utica 0 (5 Inn.)
 
It was a much different game with the Pioneers mustering just a trio of hits in game two. Luster led the way offensively going 2-for-3 with Zulager adding one hit.
 
Kylie Murray (Eastchester, NY/Eastchester) got the nod in the circle and went 3.1 innings allowing eight runs, all earned, on 11 hits, and walking one to receive the loss. Kelly Thornton (Stanhope, NJ/Lenape Valley Regional) pitched the remaining two thirds of an inning allowing three runs, two earned on two hits while striking out one.
Luster and Zulager each singled in the 1st to give the team a pair of base runners with just one out. Yet a tough lineout by Jennifer Rodriguez (Sylmar, CA/John F. Kennedy) and a Taylor Kraft (Loudonville, NY/Shaker) strikeout stranded the pair.
 
The Saxons used five hits in the 3rd to take a 3-0 edge. Alfred's offense remained hot, plating eight runs on six hits to take an 11-0 lead after four innings of play which would stand as the game's final score.
 
Utica (15-9, 4-2 Empire 8) will host Houghton University in a make-up game on Tuesday, April 23 with game one beginning at 4 p.m.