Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Elmira, NY -- After a handful of postponements, the Elmira College softball team finally played in their home opener this afternoon as the Soaring Eagles swept a pair of non-conference games against Lycoming College.  Elmira shutout the Warriors of Lycoming in game one, 5-0, and then raced to a 9-1 finish in five innings in game two. 
 
Fourth-year standout Alex Puglisi '14 shined for Elmira today, both at the plate and in the pitcher's circle.  The Shelton, CT native went 2-for-3 from the plate today, driving home five runs on a pair of home runs.  She also tossed a complete game shutout in game one, allowing just three hits while striking out six batters. For Puglisi, today's shutout win gives her 12 for her EC career.
 
Also with a standout performance in the circle today was game two pitcher Emilie Rogers '14.  Rogers picked up her second win of the season as she fanned 10 batters, nine of those strikeouts occurring in the first three innings. 
 
Offensively, several players were exceptional at the plate today.  Katie Dore '15 went 4-for-7 in the two games with three doubles and three runs batted in.  Megan Anderson '15 and Ashley Palmer '16 each drove home a pair of runs on two hits apiece.  Mikayla Bean '14 and Krystal Bupp '14 both went 3-for-5 today, combining for three doubles and four runs scored.
 
Game One Recap – Elmira 5, Lycoming 0
Game one was scoreless through the first two innings as both pitchers looked to be in good form.  Puglisi got into a bit of a jam in the top of the third inning when Dominique Thomas began the inning with a double.  However, Puglisi would get the next batter to ground out, holding Thomas at second base.  Puglisi would then strike out the next batter before getting the final out on a line-drive to the shortstop.
 
Bupp would lead off the bottom half of the inning with a double and was eventually brought home by Dore, giving Elmira a 1-0 lead. 
 
The Soaring Eagles would build on their one-run lead in a big way in the bottom of the fifth inning as Elmira scored four runs, all of which came with two outs.  Bupp once again got things going in the fifth as she singled with one out and eventually stole second with two outs, putting herself in scoring position.  With Bupp on second and with an 0-2 count, Dore drove home her second run of the game as she slapped a double to left field, bringing home Bupp for a 2-0 lead.
 
Then, with a 1-0 count, Puglisi smashed a two-run home run over the left centerfield wall, giving Elmira a comfortable 4-0 lead.  Puglisi's two-run shot was her first of the 2014 season.  EC scored one more run in the inning on an Anderson single which proved to be more than enough as Elmira went on to win it, 5-0. 
 
Game Two Recap – Elmira 9, Lycoming 1 (5 innings)
Stepping into Eldridge Park's pitching circle for the first time as a Soaring Eagle this afternoon was Rogers.  The Elmira native set the tone early against the Warriors as she struck out nine of the first 10 batters she faced and would end the game with a season-high 10 strikeouts.
 
Elmira wasted little time at the plate as the Purple and Gold scored three times in the first inning.  Palmer and Anderson each drove in runs in the inning while Elmira's third run was a result of heads-up base running and a fielding error by Lycoming's catcher.
 
The Soaring Eagles tacked-on another run in the bottom of the third inning on a sacrifice fly by Palmer that brought home Dore, who led-off the inning with a double, her third extra-base hit of the afternoon. 
 
Lycoming jumped on the board with a run in the top of the fourth inning but five two-out runs in the bottom half by Elmira blew things wide open as the Purple and Gold cruised to a 9-1 win in five innings.  Bupp and Dore each drove in runs but the big play in the inning was Puglisi's three-run homer, her second dinger of the afternoon. 
 
Elmira will be back in action on Friday, April 4th when the Soaring Eagles travel for an Empire 8 doubleheader against Alfred University at 3:00 p.m.