Elmira College (4-4, 2-4 E8) vs. #20 St. John Fisher College (19-5, 1-1 E8)
Saturday, April 16, 2016 | 1:00 P.M. | Eldridge Park Stadium – Elmira, NY
Live Coverage | Twitter: @ECSoaringEagles

Elmira College (4-4, 2-4 E8) vs. Nazareth College (12-8, 0-2 E8)
Sunday, April 17, 2016 | 1:00 P.M. | Eldridge Park Stadium – Elmira, NY
Live Coverage | Twitter: @ECSoaringEagles

Elmira, NY -- The Elmira College softball team welcomes St. John Fisher College and Nazareth College to Eldridge Park Stadium this weekend for a pair of Empire 8 doubleheaders, which marks the beginning of a 10-game homestand for the Soaring Eagles. Elmira faces 20th-ranked St. John Fisher on Saturday, April 16th, before taking on the Golden Flyers the following afternoon. Both doubleheaders are scheduled for 1:00 p.m.

Last Time Out
lmira dropped its latest E8 doubleheader to conference foe, Stevens Institute of Technology. Elmira rallied from two-down in game one, scoring the game-tying run in the top of the seventh inning on a throwing error by Stevens that scored newcomer Miranda Keefe '18. However, a walk-off double by Emily Sellitti in the bottom half of the inning lifted Stevens to a one-run win. The nightcap was your classic pitcher's duel, as the game remained scoreless through five full innings of play. Elmira broke the tie in the top of the sixth inning on an RBI single by Maddy Johnson '19 that scored Jacquelyn Heggie '16; however, Stevens exploded for six runs in the bottom half of the inning, all but sealing a 6-3 win for the Ducks.

Johnson's Hitting Streak Continues
Rookie left fielder Maddy Johnson '19 has not had any issues making the transition from high school to playing collegiate ball. Johnson looks anything but freshman at the plate, as the Rome, PA, native has hit safely in eight consecutive games. Her eight-game hitting streak is the longest by an Elmira freshman since 2012, when Katie Dore '15 produced a hit in 11 straight games. 

10-Game Homestand
Today's doubleheader begins a five-day stretch of home contests for the Elmira women. The Soaring Eagles will play 10 games during that time, which marks the second straight season EC will play 10 consecutive games at Eldridge Park Stadium; last year Elmira played 10 straight over a six-day span. 
Scouting the Cardinals: St. John Fisher College is coming into today's doubleheader just a few days after sweeping RIT in a non-conference tilt, bringing the Cardinals' overall record to 19-5. The No. 20 nationally-ranked Cardinals are also 1-1 in Empire 8 play this season, earning a series split with Utica College two weeks ago. Lindsey Thayer has played a large role in Fisher's success this season, as the second-year hurler boasts an ultra-impressive 0.42 earned runs average, as well as a whopping 169 strikeouts. According to the most recent NCAA statistical rankings, Thayer is the nation's leader in strikeouts per game and ranks eighth in earned run average. Offensively, Karlie Neale and Jennifer Knaak are the Cardinals' most consistent hitters with .422 and .400 batting averages, respectively. Six players this season have drove in 10-or-more runs, led by Julia Sortisio's team-leading 16 RBIs. 

Scouting the Cardinals
St. John Fisher College is coming into today's doubleheader just a few days after sweeping RIT in a non-conference tilt, bringing the Cardinals' overall record to 19-5. The No. 20 nationally-ranked Cardinals are also 1-1 in Empire 8 play this season, earning a series split with Utica College two weeks ago. Lindsey Thayer has played a large role in Fisher's success this season, as the second-year hurler boasts an ultra-impressive 0.42 earned runs average, as well as a whopping 169 strikeouts. According to the most recent NCAA statistical rankings, Thayer is the nation's leader in strikeouts per game and ranks eighth in earned run average. Offensively, Karlie Neale and Jennifer Knaak are the Cardinals' most consistent hitters with .422 and .400 batting averages, respectively. Six players this season have drove in 10-or-more runs, led by Julia Sortisio's team-leading 16 RBIs. 

Scouting the Golden Flyers
Nazareth College enters the weekend with a 12-8 overall record and an 0-2 mark in Empire 8 play with both conference losses coming at the hands of Ithaca College. The Golden Flyers are 3-1 in their last four games, earning a series sweep of SUNY Geneseo and a series split with the University of Rochester. Rachel Mertens and Nicole White are Nazareth's top two options in the pitcher's circle, as the duo has combined for 121.0-of-133.1 innings pitched this season. Mertens sports the better ERA at 2.64 and has held batters to a .237 batting average. White on the other hand leads the team in strikeouts with 48. Offensively, Meghan Barry paces the Golden Flyers with a .422 batting average, while Sarah Papponetti owns the team lead in RBIs with 14. 

Looking Ahead
Elmira continues its stretch of home contests tomorrow  with a conference doubleheader with Ithaca College. Monday's E8 twinbill is slated for 3:00 p.m. at Eldridge Park Stadium.