UTICA, NY - In its opening set of Empire 8 games, the Utica University softball team swept the visiting Elmira College Soaring Eagles from Greenman Field on Sunday evening. The Pioneers took game one, 9-4, before claiming game two by an 11-4 score. 
 
Game 1: Utica 9, Elmira 4
Jennifer Rodriguez (Sylmar, CA/John F. Kennedy) and Taylor Kraft (Loudonville, NY/Shaker) led the way at the plate with two hits each, Kraft doing so with an RBI as well. Emily Joss (South Glens Falls, NY/South Glens Falls), Frankie Luster (Granada Hills, CA/Granada Hills Charter), Maddie Zulager (Moorpark, CA/Moorpark), Cassidy Doiron (Beacon Falls, CT/Woodland Regional) and Lauren Paul (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) each had one while Zulager, Doiron and Paul led the team with two RBI each. 
 
Jordyn Conte (Newport, NY/West Canada Valley High School) went the distance in the circle and picked up her fourth win of the year. The win was also the 25th of her career, moving her into sole possession of seventh all-time in program history and one away from tying sixth all-time. She allowed just two earned runs on 10 hits while striking out nine and walking none. 
 
Following a clean top of the 1st by Conte, the Pioneers gave their graduate student arm some breathing room going into the 2nd with a five-run frame. Joss and Luster reached base to start the half inning which set up an infield RBI single by Zulager. Rodriguez then singled to load the bases to allow Kraft and Doiron to drive in one each. Paul and Alyssa Barbato (Rhinebeck, NY/Rhinebeck) continued the trend and drove in one each to go into the 2nd ahead 5-0. 
 
Conte avoided a one out, runners on second and third jam in the top half with back-to-back strikeouts to send Elmira back empty while the Utica offense also put up zero runs in the home half. 
 
The Soaring Eagles began to chip away, however, with one run in the 3rd, one in the 4th and two in the 5th to pull within reach at 5-4. With two runs already in during the top of the 5th, Conte once again worked out of a jam with a strikeout and a 5-3 putout to limit the damage. 
 
Utica's offense got the two runs back in the bottom half thanks to RBI singles from Doiron and Paul. The team then added two more insurance runs in the bottom of the 6th with a Luster RBI groundout and an RBI fielder's choice off the bat of Zulager. 
 
With the Pioneers in control at 9-4 in the 7th, Conte shut the door to cap off her first complete game of the season. 
 
Game 2: Utica 11, Elmira 4
Utica scored 11 runs on 11 hits in the game two victory with Emily Joss (South Glens Falls, NY/South Glens Falls), Jennifer Rodriguez (Sylmar, CA/John F. Kennedy) and Erica Sanford (Boonville, NY/Adirondack) having two each. Joss and Rodriguez also drove in three runs apiece. Maddie Zulager (Moorpark, CA/Moorpark) belted her first home run of the season in a 1-for-3, three RBI game. 
 
Kylie Murray (Eastchester, NY/Eastchester) earned her third win of the year as the junior went five-plus innings allowing four runs (two earned) on seven hits and two walks. She also struck out a pair. Maggie Habernig (Kingston, NY/Kingston) pitched a scoreless final two frames allowing just two hits and one walk with three strikeouts. 
 
Much like in game one, the Utica offense jumped on the board in the bottom of the 1st to give Murray some runs to work with. Rodriguez singled home Joss and Frankie Luster (Granada Hills, CA/Granada Hills Charter) before coming around to score on an Abigail Sacks (Colonie, NY/Colonie) base hit. 
 
Following another scoreless frame by Murray, Utica scored three more runs in the bottom of the 2nd. Joss singled home Sanford before Zulagr sent a two-out, 0-1 pitch over the right center field fence to push the team's lead to 6-0. 
 
Elmira began to creep back in with two runs in the top of the 3rd and 4th innings to make it 6-4 going into the Utica half of the 4th. The Pioneers got one run back in the half inning with a Joss RBI groundout. 
 
With the score still 7-4 in the top of the 6th, the Soaring Eagles had their first two batters reach base on a walk and E4. That would end Murray's afternoon as Habernig came in in relief. The sophomore's first batter reached on an infield single to give Elmira bases loaded and no one away with the go-ahead run at the dish. 
 
Freshman catcher Rachel Little (Burbank, CA/John Burroughs) helped Utica gain some momentum back with a heads-up pickoff throw down to third to get the lead runner out. Habernig followed this up with back-to-back looking strikeouts to get out of the bases loaded situation with no damage. 
 
Utica tacked on four more runs in the bottom of the 6th while Habernig finished off her scoreless outing in the 7th to help complete the Sunday sweep. 
 
Utica (9-5, 2-0 Empire 8) will remain home to host Union College in non-conference action on Wednesday, April 10. Game one of the twin bill is set for 3 p.m.