Hoboken, NJ – The Elmira College Softball team faced some strong pitching as it fell, 10-1 and 6-2, to host Stevens Institute of Technology Friday afternoon in Hoboken. The wins improve the Ducks to 9-13 overall and 2-0 in Empire 8 play, while the losses drop the Soaring Eagles to 6-4 overall and 0-2 in conference competition.
 
EC struggled in Game 1 as it was able to come up with just two hits against Stevens ace Kayla Berardi. Megan Anderson '15 (Little Falls, NJ -- Passaic Valley) and Krystal Bupp '14 (Bellmawr, NJ -- Triton Regional) tallied Elmira's two hits of the game, while Shannon Nelligan '14 (Poughquag, NY -- Canterbury) recorded the Purple and Gold's lone run batted in. Sarah Johnson'15 (Sodus, NY -- Sodus) pitched four innings on the mound for EC giving up 12 hits and seven earned runs, while walking six and striking out two. Berardi yielded four walks, striking out six and gave up just one run over five innings for the Ducks.
 
In Game 2 the Soaring Eagles came out with more offense led by Bupp who went a perfect 3-for-3 from the plate scoring one run. Alex Andrade '13 (Fairhaven, MA -- Bishop Strong) had a solid two-hit game, while Katie Dore '15 (Manchester, ME -- Maranacook) and Gillian Gravel '14 (Manchester, NH -- Trinity) each laced doubles with Dore knocking in both of EC's runs. Anderson added Elmira's other hit as the team quadrupled its hit output from Game 1 to Game 2. Katie Hobson '13 (Guilford, CT -- Guilford) battled on the mound giving up 14 hits, but just five earned runs over six innings. She struck out four batters while walking just one. Brianna Sandone threw seven innings for the Ducks giving up two runs while striking out four and walking one in getting the win.
 
The EC Softball team returns to action tomorrow when it hosts Ithaca College for a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m. at Eldridge Park Stadium.