Elmira, NY -- The Elmira College softball team picked up a pair of convincing five-inning victories over visiting Hilbert College Sunday afternoon, downing the Hawks 8-0 and 14-0 in the two games. The Soaring Eagles flexed their muscle at the plate as they combined for 23 hits, including six extra-base hits, in the two wins.
 
Elmira's top two performers with the bat were Jacquelyn Heggie'16 and Samantha Hawksley'16. Heggie combined to go 5-for-7 with two triples, eight RBI, and two runs scored. She also stole two bases, one in each game, moving to 8-for-8 in stolen base attempts on the year. Hawksley also had five hits, going 5-for-5 at the plate. She had four RBI and scored five runs while also matching Heggie with two stolen bases.
 
Not to be completely outdone by her sister, Julianne Heggie'16 was 2-for-4 with two walks with one of her hits being a triple. She also stole two bases for her seventh and eighth stolen bases of the year. Rounding out EC's offensive performance were multi-hit producers Hannah Lundgren'18 (3-for-5), Emily Carlin'17 (2-for-4), Marisa Bernardi'18 (2-for-2), and Katie McDougal'18 (2-for-3).
 
The Purple and Gold were lights out from the pitcher's circle as Bernardi, Carlin, and Kelsey Condidorio'18 combined to thrown 10 innings of shutout ball, allowing just nine hits, all of which were singles, and striking out two Hawks. Bernardi picked-up her second career win with a five-hit shutout while Carlin and Condidorio combined to throw the shutout in game two. Carlin pitched three innings, allowing one hit, while Condidorio finished the game by allowing three hits in the final two innings.
 
Game One: Elmira 8, Hilbert 0 (F/5)
EC used a triple by Julianne Heggie in the bottom of the first inning to push across the game's first run. Then, in the second inning, Elmira broke it open with three runs coming from RBI singles by Hawksley and Jacquelyn Heggie. On the defensive side, the Soaring Eagles were rolling as Bernardi was allowing nothing but three singles through three innings. She loaded the bases in the third inning, but worked her way out of it to preserve the shutout.
 
The Purple and Gold added a run to their total in the bottom of the fourth inning to make it 5-0, and then ended the game in the fifth inning with three runs, bringing it to an 8-0 finish. After Bernardi singled home Lundgren, and Hawksley singled to put runners on the corner, Jacquelyn Heggie tripled to deep center field to bring both home and close out EC's victory.
 
Game Two: Elmira 14, Hilbert 0 (F/5)
EC had everything going its way in game two of the doubleheader. Carlin started game two and did not allow her first baserunner until the ninth batter came to the plate and hit a grounder just out of the reach of Julianne Heggie at second base. But between Carlin and Condidorio, who came in for Carlin after the third inning, Elmira allowed just four hits, keeping the Hilbert offense quiet.
 
The Soaring Eagle offense was anything but quiet as they erupted for a season-high 14 runs against the Hawks. The Heggie twins applied pressure on the basepaths in the first inning, each recording a stolen base. With the Heggies on the corners, Julianne would steal second base, forcing Hilbert's catcher to throw down. On the throw, however, Jacquelyn would take off for home and score easily, giving EC the 1-0 lead.
 
The second inning saw the Purple and Gold score 12 runs, breaking open the game. EC batted around the lineup before recording an out and each of the nine Elmira players scored at least one run in the inning. Several new faces took the field for the Soaring Eagles over the final three innings, and they would help produce EC's final run in the fourth inning, bringing the game to its 14-0 final score.
 
Elmira has a day off tomorrow before resuming their compact schedule on Tuesday, April 21st against Morrisville State College. The first of the two games is scheduled to start at 3:00 p.m. at Eldridge Park Stadium.