Alfred, NY -- The Elmira College softball team finally took the field for the first time in 2015 as they traveled to nearby Alfred, NY to take on Alfred State College. The Soaring Eagles showed that the wait was worth it as they swept the Pioneers, winning 5-3 in game one before taking game two, 8-3. Emily Carlin'17 paced the Purple and Gold with five of EC's nine RBI, finishing her day with three hits in six at-bats including one home run.
 
Carlin also excelled in the pitcher's circle, pitching three shutout innings in relief of Katie McDougal'18 for the win in game two. Carlin allowed just two hits in her three innings while also posting three strikeouts. Winning game one was newcomer Kelsey Condidorio '18 who allowed three runs, all earned, on eight hits and two walks. Condidorio also fanned three batters in her first career start.
 
Game One: Elmira 5, Alfred State 3
EC got off to a fast start in the first game as the Purple and Gold placed runners on first and second with just one out. That brought Carlin to the plate, who would drive in the game's first run with a single to left center. Runners advanced to second and third following the throw home on Carlin's hit, which Elmira took advantage of as Katie Day'16 drove in EC's second run with a sacrifice fly.
 
The Pioneers did not let Elmira stay in front long as they scored twice in the bottom half of the first inning to tie the game at two. EC retook the lead in the top of the third inning on another Carlin RBI single, but Alfred State came right back in the bottom of the inning to again tie the game.
 
The score remained tied until the top of the sixth inning when rookie Hannah Lundgren'18 drove home Day with a sacrifice fly. Then, after a three-up-three-down bottom of the sixth inning, Ec added an insurance run, with Condidorio getting credit for a RBI after getting hit by a pitch while the bases loaded. That run proved to be not needed as Condidorio finished off her first career victory, allowing just one hit in the bottom of the seventh inning.
 
Game Two: Elmira 8, Alfred State 3
Elmira again got to Alfred State's pitcher early, plating two runs in the top of the first inning. Julianne Heggie'16 produced a one-out double and then advanced to third on a wild pitch. Chelsea Storch'18, who reached first base after that wild pitch negated her strikeout, stole second, putting two runners in scoring position with just one out. An error by the Alfred State catcher allowed Heggie to score from third and then Carlin drove Storch home with a sacrifice fly to center field.
 
Alfred State got into the scoring column in the bottom half of the first inning, but unlike the first game, the Pioneers were only able to push across one run, keeping EC in front 2-1. That lead was extended to 4-1 after Elmira scored another two runs in the top of the second inning. The Soaring Eagles loaded the bases with no outs and eventually scored twice, one run coming across on a wild pitch and the other on a Storch sacrifice fly, before Carlin flied out to center with runners on second and third.
 
The score remained 4-1 until the bottom of the fourth when a run by the Pioneers cut EC's lead from three to two. Alfred State then made it just a one-run game an inning later as they continued their rally.
 
The Purple and Gold halted the Pioneers' momentum and took control of the game with four runs in the top of the sixth inning. Jacquelyn Heggie'16 led off with a walk then proceeded to steal second and come around to score after an error by Alfred State's first baseman. Then, later in the inning, after EC scored their second run of the inning on an error, Carlin hit a two-run homerun to make it an 8-3 game.
 
Carlin then took to the circle and shut down the Pioneers, producing six straight outs over the final two innings to close out the Elmira victory.
 
The Soaring Eagles return to action on Saturday, April 4th when they host Utica College in both their home and Empire 8 Conference opener. The conference doubleheader is set to start at 1:00 p.m.