Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Elmira, NY -- The Elmira College softball team (6-10) swept a pair of non-conference games against the Wildcats of Pennsylvania College of Technology (5-11).  Elmira edged the Wildcats 2-0 in game one before cruising to an 8-0 victory in the second leg of the today's doubleheader.
 
Elmira's pitching duo of Alex Puglisi '14 and Emilie Rogers '14 continued their strong play in the circle this afternoon as both pitchers tossed a pair of complete game shutouts.  Puglisi allowed just one hit while striking out nine batters in seven innings while Rogers fanned 10 batters in five innings of work in game two.
 
Game One – Elmira 2, Penn Tech 0
The headline of game one was the speed of Krystal Bupp '14 on the base pads.  On her first at-bat of the game, Bupp slapped a hit over the second baseman's head for a single in the bottom of the third inning.  On the play, Penn Tech's Alexandra Brennan charged at the ball, only to see it sneak through her legs and eventually roll to the right field fence.  Brennan's error proved to be a costly one as Bupp raced around the bases to score Elmira's first run of the game.
 
Elmira would score an insurance run three innings later on a sacrifice fly by Ashley Palmer '16, putting the Soaring Eagles ahead 2-0.  Palmer's RBI sacrifice fly came as a result of a heads-up play on the bases by Mikayla Bean '14 two batters earlier.  Bean got caught in a rundown between second and third base on an infield hit by Emily Carlin '17 but would not get tagged out as she beat out several throws and tags which allowed Palmer to eventually drive her home.
 
Bean's run proved to be more than enough as Puglisi tossed just six pitches in the top of the seventh, retiring all three batters to seal Elmira's 2-0 win.  Puglisi finished the game with nine strikeouts and allowed just one hit en route to her third win of the season. 
 
Game Two – Elmira 8, Penn Tech 0 (5 innings)
The second game of today's doubleheader was highlighted by a monstrous third inning by the Soaring Eagles as EC scored seven of their eight runs in the inning.  Jacquelyn Heggie '16 kick-started the offensive explosion by leading off the inning with a two-strike single through the left side of the infield.  Heggie would steal second and advance to third on a sacrifice bunt by Bupp, putting her in scoring position with just one out.
 
On the next at-bat, Katie Dore '15 put the ball in-play, allowing Heggie to show off her speed as she beat out a throw at home, scoring Elmira's first run of the game.  Bean kept the inning going with a bunt single, allowing Megan Anderson '15 to single up the middle on the next at-bat, a hit that brought Dore home from second base, putting Elmira ahead 2-0.
 
With two runners on and one out, Carlin stepped up to the plate and delivered the game's biggest hit as she smashed a three-run shot over the left field wall to put EC up 5-0.  Carlin's homer forced a Wildcat pitching change but the move did not stop Elmira's offense as the Soaring Eagles drove home another pair of runs to take a 7-0 lead at the end of the third. 
 
After a scoreless fourth inning for the Wildcats, Bean led off the bottom half of the inning and took a 3-0 lead in the count.  Despite seeing three consecutive balls, Bean received the green light on the 3-0 count and did not disappoint as she crushed a hit into deep left field, a hit that bounced off the top of the wall, just narrowly missing out on a solo home run.  Bean would end up with a double on the play and would eventually score on a wild pitch to give Elmira a hefty 8-0 lead.
 
Elmira's starting pitcher, Rogers, had more than enough run support to close out the Wildcats for an 8-0 win.  She held Penn Tech to just two hits while striking out 10 batters.  Rogers' 10 strikeouts mark the second time this season she has recorded 10 or more in a single game. 
 
The Soaring Eagles will be back in action tomorrow, April 19th when EC travels to Utica, NY for a crucial Empire 8 Conference matchup with the Pioneers of Utica College.  Game-time is slated for 1:00 p.m.