Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Elmira, NY -- Just one week ago, the Elmira College softball team (12-12, 4-6 E8) found themselves in a challenging situation. They had just been swept by Nazareth College at home to push their overall record to 4-10 and their bats had essentially gone quiet. Fast forward a week and EC has new life. The Purple and Gold have won eight out of their last 10 games to get back to .500 on the season and extended their winning streak to four after a pair of non-conference wins over Rennselaer Polytechnic Institute (16-14) this afternoon. EC took game one 3-2 in eight innings and then shut-out the Engineers 6-0 in the nightcap.
 
Elmira's offense has really picked up as of late and that trend continued this afternoon with Megan Anderson '15, Katie Dore '15, and Emily Carlin '16 leading the charge. Anderson extended her hitting streak to a career-high 12 games, going a combined 4-8 with three runs batted in (RBI). Dore was just 2-7 on the day, but she drew two walks, scored three runs, and added a stolen base for good measure. Carlin continued her strong rookie season, going 4-6 in the two games with one home run and four RBI.
 
EC's two-headed monster in the pitcher's circle continued their strong play against the Engineers. Alex Puglisi'14 pitched all eight innings of game one, allowing one earned run while striking out five batters. She scattered eight hits, but only one, a double, was for extra bases. Emilie Rogers'14 started game two and earned the complete-game shutout. Rogers allowed just three base runners all game, two singles and a walk, and struck out six batters to raise her season strikeout total to 74.
 
Game One Recap – Elmira 3, RPI 2 (8 Innings)
 
Both pitchers made quick work of opposing batters in the early innings as neither team had a true scoring opportunity until the third inning. EC would strike first in the top of the third inning after Krystal Bupp '14 and Dore reached base to open up the inning. Puglisi, the next batter, successfully sacrificed Bupp and Dore over to put runners on second and third. Then Anderson, who is swinging the hottest bat of any EC player, drove home Bupp to give Elmira the 1-0 lead.
 
The Engineers threatened to at the very least even the score in the bottom of the third inning, loading the bases with one out. But Puglisi worked her way out of the jam, getting the next two batters to line out and ground out, respectively. RPI would, however, tie the game in the bottom of the fourth inning after Puglisi allowed the first two batters to reach base. After a sac bunt moved the runners into scoring position, a single to right field brought in the game-tying run.
 
Both teams had chances to take the lead in the next few innings, but the game remained tied as they headed to the seventh inning. Dore led off the top of the seventh with a single to left field and then Puglisi followed with a walk to put runners on first and second with no outs. Anderson flied out to center, but Carlin came through in the clutch as her single to center field drove home Dore to give EC a 2-1 lead. That would be all Elmira would get as they took the 2-1 lead into the bottom half of the inning.
 
RPI would answer, however, to force extra innings. After striking out the first batter of the inning, Puglisi allowed a double to put the tying run on base. The senior responded by getting the next batter to groundout for out number two, but an error charged to Puglisi on what would have been the final out of the game, put runners on the corners and gave the Engineers new life. The next batter singled to center field and tied the game, forcing extra innings.
 
Since it was a non-conference game, the extra inning rules took effect right from the start. Julianne Heggie '16 started the top half of the inning on second base and then advanced to third after Ashley Palmer '16 sacrificed her over. Heggie would score on the very next play as her sister, Jacquelyn Heggie '16 doubled down the right field line to bring her in and give EC a 3-2 lead as they went to the bottom of the eighth.
 
RPI attempted to play the same game in the bottom half of the inning as the Engineers successfully moved the runner from second to third with a sacrifice bunt, but Puglisi was not relinquishing a third one-run lead this time as she struck out the final two batters to seal Elmira's 3-2 win.
 
Game Two Recap – Elmira 6, RPI 0
 
Elmira's bats came out in full force in game two as the Soaring Eagle offense helped starter Emilie Rogers '14 early and often. EC got three runs in the top of the first inning thanks to the three-run home run from Carlin. Carlin's three-run shot scored both Dore, who earned a lead-off walk, and Anderson, who's hit extended her hitting streak to 12 games.
 
The three runs were all that Rogers needed as all her pitches were working today. She struck out four of the first six batters she faced, all looking, as she worked a perfect first two innings. Her teammates added to the lead in the top of the second when Anderson's single drove home Jacquelyn Heggie from second base.
 
RPI's best opportunity to get on the board against Rogers came in the bottom of the third inning as a walk and a single put runners on first and second, the only time that an Engineer base-runner advanced into scoring position. Rogers, however, did not allow any further damage as she retired the next two batters to end the threat.
 
Elmira added to their lead in the top of the fourth inning as another Anderson single, this one with two outs, brought home Dore for the 5-0 lead. After a three-up, three-down bottom of the fourth, the Purple and Gold would make it 6-0 after Jacquelyn Heggie reached on a fielding error which allowed Palmer to cross the plate.
 
That would be all the offense that the Soaring Eagles would produce in game two, but it was more than enough for Rogers as the Elmira, NY native made quick work of the RPI batters in the final three innings of play. Rogers again retired the batters in order in the bottom half of the fifth as well as the sixth inning to head into the seventh inning with a one-hitter brewing. A lead-off single would squash any thoughts of a one-hitter for Rogers, but she would sit down the next three batters to clinch the 6-0 victory.
 
The Soaring Eagles will be back in action tomorrow, April 25th when EC travels to Alfred University to complete the conference doubleheader that was suspended on April 14th. The two teams will finish game one, which Elmira leads 8-6 in the bottom of the fifth inning, and then complete game two shortly after completion of the first game. Play will resume at 3:00 p.m.