ROCHESTER, NY - The fourth seeded Utica University softball team fell to second seeded Alfred University in its first contest of the day 7-4, for the Pioneer's first loss of the double elimination 2025 Empire 8 Softball tournament, before eliminating seventh seed SUNY Poly in a dominant five-inning affair 15-2. 
 
Game One: Utica 4, Alfred 7
 
Leading the way for the Pioneers in game one was Brooke Beleza (Amherstview, Ontario/Jefferson Community College) who went 3-4 at the plate with an RBI single. Lauren Paul (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) was also massive for the Pioneers, launching a solo home run to put the Pioneers back in the game late. Rachel Little (Burbank, CA/John Burroughs) went 1-3 at the plate with two RBIs. Kylie Murray (Eastchester, NY/Eastchester) got the starting nod in the circle for the Pioneers, giving up seven runs on 11 hits. Emily Lehane (Franklin Square, NY/H. Frank Carey) came in relief late, pitching 0.2 innings, and giving up two hits with a strikeout, before Lucia Gargiulo (Massapequa, NY/Massapequa) came in as the closer, pitching the final full inning and only allowing one hit. 
 
Alfred would be the one to strike first in the top of the first, as a two-RBI single to right would bring in two runners putting the Saxons ahead 2-0. Utica would respond in the bottom of the opening frame as Little would notch a sacrifice fly that would bring in Beleza to put the Pioneers on the board and cut the deficit to one at the end of the first inning. 
 
Both teams would remain quiet through the second inning, and it would be Alfred that would get the bats going in the top of the third as a single down the right field line would bring in two runners pushing the Saxon lead to 4-1. Utica would attempt to respond in the bottom of the frame, with Little once again driving a runner in for her second RBI of the contest, cutting the lead in half once more at 4-2. 
 
A two-run home run and am RBI-double would put the Saxons back out by 4 in the top of the sixth, but Utica would attempt to mount a comeback in the bottom half of the inning. Lauren Paul (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) would blast a solo home run to left center that would put the Pioneers back in it at 7-3, and would be followed up by an RBI single from Beleza that would score Murray at 7-4, but it would not be enough as the Saxons would halt any other scoring efforts by the Pioneers in the final frame. 
 
With the loss, Utica advanced in the loser's bracket of the tournament, taking on the SUNY Poly WIldcats in an elimination situation after SUNY Poly was defeated by St. John Fisher in the opening game of the tournament. 
 
Game Two: Utica 15, SUNY Poly 2
 
Leading the Pioneers' offensive clinic in game two was Brooke Beleza (Amherstview, Ontario/Jefferson Community College), who would have a monster 4-5 outing at the plate with five RBIs, two home runs, and would score four times. Rachel Little (Burbank, CA/John Burroughs) was a perfect 4-4 at the plate with 2 RBIs. Lauren Paul (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) and Meghan Paul (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) each had a home run, each 2-run shots to left field. Alyssa Barbato (Rhinebeck, NY/Rhinebeck) was also a perfect 3-3 at the plate, with an RBI and two runs scored. Kelly Thornton (Stanhope, NJ/Lenape Valley Regional) collected her fourth win of the season, only allowing two runs through her five innings of work on seven hits, with three strikeouts. 
 
Beleza would get things going for the Pioneers extremely early, as she would homer in the leadoff slot on the second pitch of the contest. Abigail Sacks (Colonie, NY/Colonie) would then knock an RBI single to center that would score Little, and would be followed up by an RBI single from Barbato that would score Sacks and put the Pioneers ahead 3-0 through the first half of the opening frame. Poly would respond with a run in the bottom of the frame, but would be unable to capitalize further. 
 
The Pioneers would continue to get red hot in the top of the second as Meghan Paul (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) would get things going with a two-run homer to left pushing the Pioneer lead to four. Taylor Kraft (Loudonville, NY/Shaker) would then score a runner on a sacrifice fly, and be followed up by another two run shot from Lauren Paul (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) that would push the Pioneer lead 8-1. 
 
Neither team would be able to score in the third inning, and in the top of the fourth, it would be Beleza that would get the bats going again for the Pioneers with an RBI base knock that would score Barbato to give Utica the eight-run lead it needed to finish in five innings. Little would follow with a base hit of her own that would bring in two runners in Erica Sanford (Boonville, NY/Adirondack) and Alexis Scott (Binghamton, NY/Chenango Forks), pushing the score to 11-1 in favor of the Pioneers. Sacks would then reach on a muffed throw by the first baseman that would score Belexa and end the top of the fourth 12-1 in favor of Utica. 
 
Beleza would tack on a couple of insurance runs in the top of the fifth, with a massive three-run blast down the left field line that would score Barbato and Scott, giving the Pioneers a 15-1 edge in the final frame. Poly would attempt to put runs on the board to keep its season alive with an RBI double in the bottom of the frame, but the Pioneer defense and pitcher Kelly Thornton (Stanhope, NJ/Lenape Valley Regional) would hold on for the final out of the game. 
 
With the win, the Pioneers advance to the third day of the 2025 Empire 8 Softball tournament, and will take on the loser of top seed St. John Fisher and second seed Alfred, in the first of a potential two games tomorrow, Saturday, May 10 at 11am in Rochester, NY.