Score: Elmira College 3, Alfred State 1
Score: Elmira College 8, Alfred State 0 (six innings)
Records: Elmira College (7-11), Alfred State (4-19)
Location: Eldridge Park Stadium – Elmira, NY
 
Elmira, NY -- Strong pitching and timely hitting paved the way for a pair of non-league wins for the Elmira College softball team, as the Soaring Eagles downed visiting Alfred State at Eldridge Park Stadium this afternoon. Elmira edged the Pioneers by a 3-1 final in game one, before putting a four-spot on the board late in game two to win the nightcap 8-0.
 
Elmira outlasted Alfred State in the opening game of today's doubleheader thanks to a terrific pitching performance by second-year talent Katie McDougal '18. A 10-hit effort by the Pioneers did little to shake the confidence of the crafty righty, who was able to work her way out of trouble on several occasions, including a fifth inning that saw Alfred State load the bases; McDougal stranded all three runners without conceding a run and would finish the game with five strikeouts, tying her season high.
 
Offensively, Elmira was able to take advantage of a couple of key situations in the second and fourth innings. With a runner on second, Jacquelyn Heggie '16 slapped one up the middle of the infield and scored Emily Clark '19 for the game's first run. One batter later, McDougal stepped to the plate and helped her own cause with a one-out double to center field that brought in Heggie, giving the Purple and Gold a 2-0 lead at the time.
 
EC tacked on another run in the fourth inning on a Chelsea Storch '17 single that scored Clark from second, who led off the inning with a double to left center field. The Storch RBI single put the Purple and Gold out in front, 3-0.
 
The Pioneers got a run back in the top of the sixth, but that was all the offense they could muster, as the Soaring Eagles claimed a 3-1 win in the opening game.
 
Game two had a similar feel as the opener, as EC jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. With one out and the bases juiced, Julianne Heggie '16 found the gap in right center field, scoring all three base runners to give Elmira a three-run lead.
 
Elmira added to its lead in the fourth inning, when Katie Day '16 laced a hot shot through the middle of the Alfred State defense, scoring Julianne Heggie from third base. The RBI single by Day gave the Soaring Eagles a 4-0 advantage.
 
The Soaring Eagles held onto its four run lead through the next two innings thanks to a superb pitching performance by Emily Carlin '17. Carlin allowed just two base runners and one hit, while striking out three Pioneer batters in one of her most impressive starts of the season.
 
With Carlin controlling things in the pitcher's circle, all eyes turned to EC's batters, who worked a little two-out magic to score four runs and seal an 8-0 victory in six innings for the Soaring Eagles. Making EC's run in the sixth even more impressive is that it was accomplished by the Elmira bench, who pinch hit in every at bat in the inning.
 
Kaelynn Briggs '18 began the four-run inning with a one-out walk, and following Elmira's second out, the team's next two batters, Rachel Gamache '19 and Amber Wallach '19, reached safely on a pair of singles. With the bases loaded, a keen eye by Rachel Katzenberger '19 turned a 2-2 count into a six-pitch walk, putting Elmira up 5-0.
 
With two outs and the bases loaded, Coach Rhonda Faunce subbed in Hannah Vignone '19. The freshman stepped to the dish and drove the second pitch she saw into deep left center field, clearing the bases to give Elmira an 8-0 victory in a six inning shortened contest.
 
In Her Own Words…
Head Coach Rhonda Faunce shares her thoughts on EC's play this afternoon…
"I think the quality of pitching was good on our end. We controlled the plate and held them to one run in the two games. We were also able to hit the ball better than we have in some of our more recent games. So at least we got some hits today and we are feeling a little better about our overall performance."
 
Coach Faunce talks about McDougal's strong start to today's doubleheader…
"If you go back and look at what she's been doing recently, she's had pretty good command. She's been doing a really good job for us and we just want her to throw the ball hard. She's sticking to her good pitches as opposed to wanting to throw other pitches. I think overall she had more speed today and was able to overpower them."
 
Coach Faunce discusses EC's approach to the plate in game two…
"The players that are in the lineup every single day start to nit-pick their swings. They think they should get a hit every time they are up to bat, so they are pressing a bit and you can see it in our big hitters. It's funny, we made some subs for kids who don't get to hit every day and they got us four runs in the sixth. It's mental. No matter what anyone says, hitting is mental."
 
Inside the Box Score (Game One)

• Alfred State outhit Elmira 10-to-9.
• EC committed one error, while the Pioneers did not make a mistake fielding the ball.
• Three EC players logged multi-hit games.
• Jacquelyn Heggie was 2-for-2 from the dish with one RBI, one walk, and one run scored.
• Maddy Johnson '19 and Clark were both 2-for-3 from the plate; Clark also scored two runs.
• Johnson also had Elmira's lone stolen base of the game.
• Julianne Heggie, Storch, and McDougal each registered a hit.
• Storch and McDougal also logged one RBI apiece.
• McDougal pitched a complete game, allowing one run on 10 hits with five strikeouts.

 
Inside the Box Score (Game Two)

• Elmira owned a lopsided advantage in hits, outhitting Alfred State 10-to-1.
• Alfred Sate struggled defensively, committing four errors, while EC was flawless in the field.
• Day and Storch had multi-hit games for Elmira, as both went 2-for-3.
• Day drove in one run, while Storch recorded two RBIs.
• Julianne Heggie, Sam Chadbourne '19, Miranda Keefe '18, Gamache, Wallach, and Vignone each had one hit.
• Heggie and Vignone tied for the team-lead in RBIs with three apiece.
• Katzenberger also drove in one run on a six-pitch walk.
• Heggie, Kaelynn Briggs '18, Gamache, Wallach, Katzenberger, Storch, Chadbourne, and Keefe scored one run apiece.
• Carlin pitched 6.0 innings and allowed just one hit, while striking out three batters.

 
News and Notes

• Elmira snapped a five-game skid with today's 3-1 win.
• EC also picked up its third series sweep of the year (Hilbert, Houghton, Alfred St.).
• Elmira's 10-game homestand came to a close with the Soaring Eagles going 3-7 in those games.
• The Soaring Eagles registered their fifth double-digit hitting performance of the year.
• The 10 hits allowed in game one is the second-highest total allowed by EC in a win this season.
• McDougal's five strikeouts tied her season high.
• Carlin's one hit allowed in game two is the fewest she has given up all season.
• Carlin also recorded her first shutout victory of the year.
• Julianne Heggie's three-RBI effort is a season and career high
• Chadbourne's 10 putouts in game two tied her personal and the team's season high.
• Wallach and Gamache logged the first collegiate hits of their careers.
• Katzenberger, Gamache, Wallach, and Briggs scored the first runs of their collegiate careers.

 
Up Next
Elmira will have little time to enjoy today's wins, as the Soaring Eagles return to action tomorrow afternoon with a non-conference doubleheader at Morrisville State. Tomorrow's games are set to begin at 3:00 p.m. in Morrisville, NY.