Elmira, NY -- Following an impressive 2-0 win over third-seeded Sage Colleges in the ECAC Metro-Upstate Tournament, the sixth-seeded Elmira College softball team will be in search of their first ECAC crown this weekend as the Soaring Eagles compete in the tournament semifinals.  The Purple and Gold will face the number two seed, Stockton College, on Saturday, May 10th at 12:00 p.m. in Galloway, NJ and will be guaranteed at least one more contest as the final leg of the ECAC Metro-Upstate Tournament will be a double elimination tournament.
 
A First Time for Everything
Saturday's matchup against Stockton College marks the first meeting between the two institutions.  Also, Elmira and Stockton only have one common opponent this season in the Ducks of Stevens Institute of Technology.  Both Elmira and Stockton played Stevens in Hoboken, NJ with Elmira dropping a pair of one-run games to the Ducks while Stockton split a doubleheader.
 
Familiar Territory
This year's ECAC Metro-Upstate Tournament appearance is Elmira's second straight as the Purple and Gold reached the semifinals of the 2013 tournament. It is also Elmira's fourth ECAC Tournament appearance in the last six years.
 
Welcome to the Garden State
Elmira was one of four institutions in this year's tournament from the Empire State.  However, with the Soaring Eagles defeating the Sage Colleges, and the dismissal of St. Joseph's College Long Island and Drew University, Elmira is the lone team standing from New York State. 
 
Anderson's Hot Bat
Over the last 10 years, there has not been a player that has come close to putting together the hitting streak that Megan Anderson '15 has this season.  Anderson is riding high on a 17-game hitting streak that dates back to April 17th against Nazareth College. During this time, Anderson has raised her batting average from a season-low .289 to her current .365 average.
 
One-Two Punch
Emilie Rogers '14 and Alex Puglisi '14 have combined to form a powerful duo in the pitcher's circle this season. Both Rogers and Puglisi have sub-1.50 earned run averages entering this weekend's ECAC semifinals at 1.29 and 1.48, respectively, and have struck out 98 and 96 batters, respectively. The duo combined for 13 strikeouts, nine from Puglisi and four from Rogers, in the two-hit, shutout victory in the ECAC Quarterfinals over Sage Colleges.

Back, Back, Back, Back…Gone
Newcomer, Emily Carlin '17 has provided EC with a source of power from the middle of the Soaring Eagle lineup all season long. She leads Elmira, as well as the Empire 8 Conference, with seven home runs and also is tops on the team with 19 runs batted in. Additionally, Carlin's seven home runs are the most hit by an Elmira player since Erin Pruess '12 hit nine in the 2009 season.

Power Surge
As a team, EC hit just five home runs over the first 16 games of the season. However, over the last 12 games of the regular season, the Soaring Eagles belted 15 home runs, including tying a 25-year single-game record with four long balls against Alfred University on April 25th. The 20 home runs hit by EC are the most in a season since 2009 when the Purple and Gold hit a total of 23 home runs.