HOUGHTON, NY – The Utica University softball team put together a dominant offensive showing, sweeping Houghton in an Empire 8 doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. The Pioneers rolled to a 14-1 victory in game one before erupting for an 18-5 win in game two.
Game One: Utica 14, Houghton 1
The Pioneers put together an offensive outburst, registering 14 hits in the contest.
Mya Strong (Hudson Falls, NY/Hudson Falls) led the way with two hits and three runs scored, while
Meghan Paul (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) added two hits and four RBIs, including a grand slam in the seventh inning.
Alexa Thompson (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) had a perfect day at the plate with three hits and four RBIs, highlighted by a three-run home run in the third.
Madeline Waddell (Riverside, CA/Riverside Polytechnic) also chipped in with two hits and an RBI, as Utica's lineup produced from top to bottom.
In the circle,
Caroline Porter (Chittenango, NY/Chittenango) delivered a complete-game performance, tossing seven innings while allowing just one run on three hits and striking out three to earn the win.
Houghton struck first in the bottom of the first, using an RBI groundout to take a 1-0 lead.
Utica answered in a big way in the third inning, plating five runs. Strong tied the game with an RBI triple before
Kadyn Hartel (West Henrietta, NY/Rush Henrietta) drove her in to give the Pioneers the lead. Later in the inning, Thompson launched a three-run home run to extend the advantage.
The Pioneers added three more runs in the fourth inning, with Waddell and Thompson each driving in runs to push the lead to 8-1.
After a quiet stretch, Utica broke the game open in the seventh with six runs. Paul capped the scoring with a grand slam to left field, sealing the 14-1 victory.
Game Two: Utica 18, Houghton 5
Utica stayed hot at the plate in game two, scoring 18 runs on 11 hits.
Kadyn Hartel (West Henrietta, NY/Rush Henrietta) led the way with three hits and four RBIs, including a bases-clearing triple.
Alexis Scott (Binghamton, NY/Chenango Forks) powered the offense with two hits and five RBIs, highlighted by a grand slam in the opening inning. Strong added two hits, three runs scored, and an RBI, while
Lila Gray (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill) contributed a hit and an RBI.
Kari Graziano (Kinderhook, NY/Ichabod Crane) got the start in the circle, working 4.2 innings while allowing five runs, three earned, and striking out three.
Maggie Habernig (Kingston, NY/Kingston) came on in relief and shut the door, tossing 1.1 scoreless innings to secure the win.
The Pioneers wasted no time getting on the board, erupting for six runs in the first inning. After a pair of early baserunners, Scott launched a grand slam to give Utica a commanding early lead.
Utica added another run in the fifth inning to extend the lead to 7-0 off the bat of Gray, before Houghton responded in the bottom half with five runs to cut into the deficit.
The Pioneers answered emphatically in the sixth inning, exploding for 11 runs to put the game out of reach. Hartel delivered a key three-run triple, while Strong, Paul, and Scott each drove in runs as Utica continued to apply pressure.
Habernig closed out the final innings, keeping Houghton off the board to secure the doubleheader sweep for the Pioneers.
Utica (13-14, 8-5 Empire 8) returns to action on Tuesday, April 21 as the team makes the short trip to take on cross-town rival SUNY Poly in a doubleheader. First pitch of game one is set for 3pm.
