CLERMONT, FL – The Utica University softball team continued its Florida trip with another doubleheader on Monday afternoon, falling in a pair of high-scoring contests. The Pioneers dropped a narrow 14-13 battle to Haverford College in the opener before closing the day with an 11-5 loss to North Central College.
Game One: Utica 13, Haverford 14
The Pioneers produced a strong offensive outing, collecting 13 hits and scoring 13 runs in the contest, led by Mya Strong (Hudson Falls, NY/Hudson Falls) who reached base four times and scored four runs while driving in three. Meghan Paul (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) delivered a standout performance at the plate, going 4-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored. Alexa Thompson (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) added a hit with two RBIs, while Kadyn Hartel (West Henrietta, NY/Rush Henrietta) and Madeline Waddell (Riverside, CA/Riverside Polytechnic) each drove in a run. Lily Mazur (Rome, NY/Westmoreland) chipped in two hits and two runs scored, and Emily Lehane (Franklin Square, NY/H. Frank Carey) contributed an RBI double as part of the Pioneer attack.
In the circle, Kari Graziano (Kinderhook, NY/Ichabod Crane) opened the game with three innings pitched, followed by Lehane who worked three innings in relief before Caroline Porter (Chittenango, NY/Chittenango) entered late in the contest.
Utica struck first in the top of the opening inning when Thompson lifted a sacrifice fly to right field, bringing Strong home to give the Pioneers an early 1-0 lead. Haverford responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning and added another in the second to take a 4-1 advantage.
The Pioneers answered in the third inning as Thompson delivered an RBI single before Hartel followed with a run-scoring hit to cut the deficit to 4-3. Haverford extended its lead again in the third and fourth innings, building a 10-3 advantage heading into the fifth.
Utica erupted for eight runs in the top of the fifth inning to flip the game on its head. Lehane doubled home a run before Strong blasted a two-RBI triple to center field. Paul followed with a triple of her own to drive in Strong, completing the rally and giving the Pioneers an 11-10 lead.
Haverford answered with two runs in the sixth to reclaim the lead, but Utica responded again in the seventh. Strong tripled once more to drive in a run before scoring on a passed ball to give the Pioneers a 13-12 edge.
In the bottom of the seventh, Haverford managed to push across two runs to secure the 14-13 victory.
Game Two: Utica 5, North Central 11
Utica recorded another strong hitting performance with 11 hits in the contest. Meghan Paul (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) led the way with a pair of hits, including a double and a triple, while driving in three runs. Mya Strong (Hudson Falls, NY/Hudson Falls) added two hits and scored three times, including a triple. Kadyn Hartel (West Henrietta, NY/Rush Henrietta), Eden Resch (Stillwater, NY/Stillwater), and Cassidi Mushenski (Hadley, MA/Hopkins Academy) each recorded two hits in the game, and Lila Gray (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill) contributed an RBI.
Maggie Habernig (Kingston, NY/Kingston) made the start in the circle, pitching two scoreless innings with two strikeouts. Caroline Porter (Chittenango, NY/Chittenango) followed in relief before Kari Graziano (Kinderhook, NY/Ichabod Crane) finished the contest for the Pioneers.
Utica opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning when Gray reached on an error that allowed Strong to score. The Pioneers added another run in the second as Paul drove in Eden Resch (Stillwater, NY/Stillwater) on a fielder's choice to extend the lead to 2-0.
North Central responded with a four-run third inning to take its first lead of the game and added another run in the fourth to move ahead 5-2. The Cardinals continued to add insurance runs in the fifth and sixth innings to stretch the lead.
Utica rallied in the bottom of the sixth inning when Paul tripled to center field to bring Strong home before Thompson later scored on an error to cut the deficit to 8-4. Paul added another RBI double in the seventh inning to score Strong for the Pioneers' final run.
North Central plated three runs in the seventh to secure the 11-5 victory.
Utica (1-3, 0-0 Empire 8) returns to action tomorrow, Tuesday, March 10 with another doubleheader in Clermont, FL. Game one is set for 10am against Mount Union.
