UTICA, NY - The Utica University softball team splits in an Empire 8 doubleheader on a windy Saturday afternoon against SUNY Geneseo. The Pioneers fell to the Knights 18-4 in game 1 before rallying up with an 11-6 victory in game two. 

Game One: Geneseo 18, Utica 4

The Pioneers put bat to ball six times, crossing the plate for four. Kari Graziano (Kinderhook, NY/Ichabod Crane) and Alexa Thompson (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) lead the game in hits with two a piece, with Graziano smacking a double at the bottom of the 1st, giving the Pioneers their first run of game one, scored by Mya Strong (Hudson Falls, NY/Hudson Falls). Madeline Waddell (Riverside, CA/Riverside Polytechnic) and Kayden Hartel recorded one hit, with Waddell recording her second home run of the season for the Pioneers at the bottom of the third. 

Maggie Habernig (Kingston, NY/Kingston) got the starting nod, allowing seven runs off six hits, before Caroline Porter (Chittenango, NY/Chittenango) pitched the rest of the game in relief, allowing 11 runs from nine hits, striking out three and walking two. 

After a slow first inning, the orange and blue tallied their first run of the game after a Graziano double, advancing Thompson to third and allowing Strong to cross home plate. 

The Knights would then answer at the top of the second inning, plating four runs, two being unearned, one on an error, and one on a sacrifice fly to center field. 

Following a home run by the Knights at the top of the third, the Pioneers showed some life, answering with a Waddell three-run home run, with Graziano and Thompson also crossing home. 

The Knights would then put the game out of reach, plating six more runs, one from a home run, an RBI groundout, an RBI single, and three on errors. 

Game Two: Utica 11, Geneseo 6

Utica reacted in the second game with a strong offensive surge, putting bat to ball 12 times, coming home 11 times in the five-run win. Mya Strong (Hudson Falls, NY/Hudson Falls) led the pack with four runs, with Kari Graziano (Kinderhook, NY/Ichabod Crane) and Meghan Paul (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) recording two runs in game two, with Lily Mazur (Rome, NY/Westmoreland), Alexa Thompson (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy), and Kadyn Hartel (West Henrietta, NY/Rush Henrietta) each crossing the plate once. Grazaiano led in RBIs in the contest with three. 

Graziano dealt five innings, allowing four runs off seven hits, striking out three, earning a win off the rubber and improving her record to 5-1. Emily Lehane (Franklin Square, NY/H. Frank Carey) finished as the closer for the Pioneers, pitching two innings, allowing two runs on two hits, and striking out one. 

After starting the top of the first inning with a Geneseo home run, the Pioneers quickly answered with three runs to close out the inning, one from Strong, who led off with her seventh triple of the season, breaking the single season triple's record, who would score on a passed ball and two unearned from Meghan Paul (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) who would score on an RBI single from Hartel, and Graziano who would cross after a walk with the bases loaded. 

At the bottom of the second inning, Thompson sacrificed herself and flew out to second base, allowing Strong to come home, making the score 4-1. 

After the Knights opened the third inning with an RBI single, Graziano answered with an RBI  single to left field, advancing Paul, and Strong scoring again for the Pioneers in the fourth. Waddell followed with a double, allowing Paul to score after Graziano ran to third, making the matchup 6-2. 

Lily Mazur (Rome, NY/Westmoreland) bunted a single at the bottom of the fifth to let Kadyn Hartel (West Henrietta, NY/Rush Henrietta) make it home off a throw by the Knights. Strong singled, then advanced to second on a throw, while Mazur crossed home to add to the Pioneers' score. Thompson came through, tallying an RBI single up the middle, with Graziano following up with a two-run home run, her first career homer, making the matchup 11-5 to close out the fifth inning. 

Geneseo would plate its sixth run in the top of the sixth, but Emily Lehane (Franklin Square, NY/H. Frank Carey) would shut the door on the Knights for the remainder of the contest, holding on for the 11-6 win for the Pioneers. 

Utica (10-11, 5-2 Empire 8) continues to defend home field tomorrow, Sunday, April 11th, as they host the SUNY Brockport Golden Eagles in a doubleheader. First pitch of game one is set for 1 pm from Greenman Field.