ROCHESTER, NY - The fourth seeded Utica University softball team defeated third seeded SUNY Geneseo in the team's opening contest of the 2025 Empire 8 Conference Softball Tournament. The Pioneers defeated the Knights by a score of 9-7, to advance in the winner's bracket. 
 
Leading the way for the Pioneers was Rachel Little (Burbank, CA/John Burroughs), who went a perfect 4-4 at the plate while crossing the threshold three times on the afternoon. Alyssa Barbato (Rhinebeck, NY/Rhinebeck) and Abigail Sacks (Colonie, NY/Colonie) each finished 2-4 at the plate with a pair of RBIs each, while Barbato added a double to her resume on the afternoon. Brooke Beleza (Amherstview, Ontario/Jefferson Community College) and Lauren Paul (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) each also went 2-4 at the plate with an RBI to their names. Kylie Murray (Eastchester, NY/Eastchester) got the starting nod for the Pioneers in the circle, dealing her 12th complete game of the season en route to her 10th win, giving up seven runs, none of which were earned, on seven hits with three strikeouts. 
 
Geneseo would take a 4-0 commanding lead in the bottom of the first after a bases-loaded walk, a 2-RBI single through the right side, and a wild pitch would score a runner. Utica would be unable to respond in the top of the second, and get out of the second inning unscathed to head to the top of the third. 
 
In the top of the third, the Pioneers would be able to put bat to ball, bringing four runs across the plate to tie the game at four runs apiece. Beleza would start the scoring with an RBI single that would send her to second on an error, and bring in Barbato to put the Pioneers on the board. Meghan Paul (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) would follow that up with a single to right center that would bring in Beleza to cut the Pioneers' deficit to two. Little would then get on base with Paul that would bring up Sacks who would send one through the right side and score Paul to bring the Pioneers within one. Taylor Kraft (Loudonville, NY/Shaker) would then hit a sacrifice fly to the center fielder that would score Little and tie the ball game for Utica heading into the fourth inning. 
 
Geneseo would put another run on the board in the bottom of the fourth after an error by the Pioneer's second baseman would allow a runner to reach, and then a throwing error by the right fielder would allow the runner to score from third, putting the Knights back in front by one. 
 
Utica would put together another monstrous four-run top of the fifth inning. Sacks would start the scoring by driving in Little with an RBI single where she would advance on an error by the Knight's right fielder. A single from Murrat would bring in another run in Sacks to give the Pioneers their first lead of the game. Barbato would then be able to hit the gap in right field that would score two runners in Kraft and Murray to put the Pioneers ahead by three heading into the latter frames. 
 
Utica would be able to tack on an insurance run in the top of the sixth inning as Lauren Paul (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) would single to center, bringing in Little to push the Pioneer lead to four at 9-5. Geneseo would attempt to mount a comeback in the bottom of the seventh as a 2-RBI single would put the Knights only down by a pair with two outs, yet the Pioneer defense would remain stout and Kylie Murray (Eastchester, NY/Eastchester) would finish the final batter of the inning with a massive strikeout that would send the Pioneers away with the victory. 
 
With the win, third-seeded Utica advances in the winner's side of the double-elimination tournament, and will take on second-seeded Alfred University in a semifinal matchup tomorrow, Friday, May 9 beginning at 11:30am in Rochester, NY