BROCKPORT, NY - The Utica University softball team took both games of its series against the Empire 8 Conference newcomer SUNY Brockport on Sunday afternoon. The Pioneers took game one in decisive fashion 10-3, and rallied from behind to force extras in game two and came away with the win 13-8. 

Game One: Utica, 10 Brockport, 3

The Pioneers excelled at the plate in game one, registering 15 hits. A pair of Pioneers in Meghan Paul (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) and Kylie Murray (Eastchester, NY/Eastchester) each put bat to ball three times, while Brooke Beleza (Amherstview, Ontario/Jefferson Community College), Rachel Little (Burbank, CA/John Burroughs), Abigail Sacks (Colonie, NY/Colonie), and Taylor Kraft (Loudonville, NY/Shaker) each knocked two. Sacks and Kraft each added two RBIs to their stat lines, while Sacks was patient at the plate drawing a pair of walks. Following up her impressive performance yesterday afternoon, Murray nabbed the starting nod in the circle for the Pioneers, dishing her fourth win of the season, giving up three runs on 11 hits with six strikeouts. 

Utica would strike first in the top of the first inning courtesy of a base hit with bases loaded from Kraft that would bring in two runs in Little and Beleza. Emily Lehane (Franklin Square, NY/H. Frank Carey) would ground out to the second baseman advancing the runners and bringing in Sacks for a run. Murray would then single to left field, bringing in Kraft, pushing the score to 4-0 in favor of the Pioneers heading into the bottom of the opening frame. 

The Pioneer offense would slow for the next three innings, while keeping the Golden Eagles at bay until a run in the fourth courtesy of a base hit from Paul would bring in Beleza pushing the score to 5-0. Brockport would respond in the bottom of the fifth, bringing runners across on an error and a base hit, putting the Golden Eagles on the board at 5-2. 

Both teams would trade blows in the sixth inning, before a pitching nightmare would ensue for the Golden Eagles. Lehane would draw a walk to lead off the inning, followed by a double from Murray that would leave Lehane on third. A wild pitch would clear the base paths for the Pioneers, bringing two runs across to push the score to 8-3. Alyssa Barbato (Rhinebeck, NY/Rhinebeck) would draw a walk, Paul would single to left field, and Little would single up the middle to load the bases, allowing Sacks the opportunity to draw a bases loaded walk that would bring in the third Pioneer run of the inning. Shortly thereafter, Paul would score from third on a passed ball, allowing the Pioneers the win at 10-3. 

Game Two: Utica, 13 Brockport, 8

Utica would put 15 hits on the board again in game two, with Brooke Beleza (Amherstview, Ontario/Jefferson Community College) and Rachel Little (Burbank, CA/John Burroughs) knocking down three each. A trio of Pioneers in Meghan Paul (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland), Kylie Murray (Eastchester, NY/Eastchester), and Erica Sanford (Boonville, NY/Adirondack) would make contact twice, while Abigail Sacks (Colonie, NY/Colonie), Taylor Kraft (Loudonville, NY/Shaker), and Alyssa Barbato (Rhinebeck, NY/Rhinebeck) would each record a hit. Little, Murray, Sacks, Kraft, and Alexis Scott (Binghamton, NY/Chenango Forks) would each add two RBIs to their stat lines. Maggie Habernig (Kingston, NY/Kingston) would get the starting nod for the Pioneers, dealing two innings, giving up seven runs on six hits, with two strikeouts. Kelly Thornton (Stanhope, NJ/Lenape Valley Regional) would come in relief, pitching six innings, giving up one run on three hits with five strikeouts en route to her first win of the season. 

Brockport would strike first with a massive five run inning in the bottom of the opening frame. Utica would respond in the top of the second, beginning with an RBI single from Murray. A ground out to the shortstop by Alexis Scott (Binghamton, NY/Chenango Forks) would bring in a runner to cut the Pioneer deficit to three at 5-2. 

In the bottom of the second, Brockport would put together another two runs, getting back out by five at 7-2 heading into the third inning. In the top of the third, Utica would bring a pair of runs across, with Beleza scoring after Kraft reached base on a throwing error by the Golden Eagle third baseman. An RBI single from Murray would bring the second Pioneer run of the inning in, cutting the deficit to three at 7-4. 

A run from the Golden Eagles in the bottom of the third would put them back on top 8-4. Three runs by the Pioneers in the fourth would cut the deficit to one run at 8-7. Beleza would crack an RBI double to center field that would bring in Barbato for the first Utica run. Paul would then knock an RBI double to bring in Beleza. An RBI single from Little would bring in Paul for the final Pioneer run of the inning. 

Both teams' bats would cool off for the next two innings, until the Pioneers would bring in the tying run in the top of the sixth off the bat of Sacks up the middle that would bring in Erica Sanford (Boonville, NY/Adirondack) to tie the game at eight runs a side heading into what was thought to be the final frame. Both teams would be unable to bring a run across in the final frame, sending the contest into extra innings. 

In the top of the eighth inning, the Pioneer offense exploded for five runs to put the Golden Eagles on ice, beginning with an RBI single from Little to right field that would bring in Sanford to start the scoring. Sacks would reach base on a fielder's choice with the bases loaded that would bring in Beleza for the second run of the inning. Kraft would also reach base on a fielder's choice, bringing in Paul and Little who would score on a throwing error by the shortstop. Scott would ground out to the shortstop that would bring Sacks across for the final run of the contest, allowing the Pioneers the 13-8 come-from-behind win. 

Utica (10-6, 5-1 Empire 8) returns home to host the Hartwick College Hawks in an Empire 8 Conference doubleheader on Tuesday, April 15. First pitch of game one from Greenman Softball Field is set for 4pm.