Score: Utica College 9, Elmira College 7, (eight innings)
Score: Utica College 7, Elmira College 2
Records: Elmira (9-13, 3-11 E8), Utica (21-13, 9-3)
Location: Greenman Field – Utica, NY
 
Utica, NY -- The Elmira College softball team wrapped up Empire 8 Conference play this afternoon with a pair of road contests against Utica College at UC's Greenman Field. Elmira nearly pulled off an extra-inning comeback win in the opener, but came up just short, falling to the Pioneers 9-7. Utica also claimed a win in game two, pulling away late in the contest for a 7-2 victory.
 
The big story today was the bat of Julianne Heggie '16. The senior outfielder smacked two home runs in the opening game of today's doubleheader, giving the Oxford, NY, native five homers for her career. Heggie entered her fourth and final year with the Soaring Eagles without a single home run to her name, but has since etched her name into the EC record books by going yard several times. The five home runs this season place Heggie in a two-way tie for fourth place in single-season history, while her career total is tied for eighth all-time.
 
Utica took a quick 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning of game one, scoring on an RBI double and a two-run home run. Elmira answered in the third inning, scoring twice to cut the Pioneer lead to 3-2.
 
Julianne Heggie reached safely on a one-out triple in the third, before Maddy Johnson '19 followed it up with an infield single, putting a pair of EC runners on the corners. The next at bat would see Johnson and Heggie work a double-steal, which resulted in Heggie scoring EC's first run and Johnson swiping second; Johnson would make her way to third on the throw to home.
 
Following a pop up, Emily Clark '19 delivered a two-out RBI single, scoring Johnson from third. Clark punched one to the Utica shortstop and beat the throw to first to make it one-run game.
 
Elmira scored once more in the fourth inning on an RBI single by Miranda Keefe '18 that scored Emily Carlin '17 from third base and advanced Jacquelyn Heggie '16 to second. Carlin led off the inning by finding the gap in left center field for a stand up double, while Heggie reached safely on a single to left field.
 
The Soaring Eagles would eventually load the bases in the fourth inning, giving the Elmira women a prime opportunity to take their first lead of the game. However, EC was unable to bring any of the three base runners home, as the game stood tied at 3-3.
 
Utica scored once in the bottom of the fifth to reclaim its lead, an advantage the Pioneers would hold onto until the seventh inning, when Julianne Heggie tied the game with a solo shot to straight away center. The Heggie homer evened the game at 4-4.
 
Heggie's solo home run forced extra innings, as the Soaring Eagles looked to steal a win away from the Pioneers. Carlin led off the top of the eighth with a single, but Utica retired the next two batters, which looked like enough to end the Elmira threat.
 
With two outs and a runner on first, Keefe delivered for Elmira with a triple to the right center gap to give Elmira its first lead of the game, 5-4. Elmira's two-out magic continued on the next at bat, when Julianne Heggie launched her second homer of the game to put the Purple and Gold out in front, 7-4. However, this game was far from over at this point.
 
Utica began the bottom of the eighth with a single, but Elmira was able to put out the next two batters, putting EC just one out away from the win. The next Utica batter, Nicole Rice, extended the inning with a two-out home run, cutting the EC lead to 7-6. Utica's rally continued with the next two batters reaching safely, before Sabrina Stransky gave the Pioneers the win in walk-off fashion with a three-run homer.
 
The second game of today's doubleheader saw Elmira take a 1-0 lead in second inning, as Carlin scored from third on a passed ball. However, Utica put up a three-spot in the bottom half of the inning to go up by two runs, 3-1.
 
Elmira answered in the top of the fourth on a two-out RBI double by rookie Sam Chadbourne '19 that scored Chelsea Storch '17 from second base. However, this was all the offense Elmira was able to produce, as the Pioneers tacked on four additional runs to claim a 7-2 victory.
 
Inside the Box Score (Game One)

• It was a hitter's dream in game one, as the two teams combined for 29 hits (14 for Elmira).
• EC had three miscues fielding the ball, while Utica did not commit a single error.
• Only one walk was issued in game one (EC - Ju. Heggie).
• Elmira also had the only two stolen bases of the game (Ju. Heggie & Johnson).
• Julianne Heggie led the EC offense with a three RBI afternoon on a pair of home runs.
• Heggie also scored three runs, while going 3-for-4 from the plate.
• Johnson logged three hits in four plate appearances with one run scored.
• Jacquelyn Heggie, Carlin and Keefe all registered two hits apiece.
• Keefe logged a pair of RBIs with one run scored.
• Carlin scored one run.
• Katie Day '16 and Clark each had a hit, while Clark also registered one RBI.
• Katie McDougal '18 got the start for Elmira in the pitcher's circle and finished with three strikeouts in 7.2 innings of work.

 
Inside the Box Score (Game Two)

• Utica logged 11 hits, while Elmira recorded four.
• The Pioneers committed a pair of errors
• Elmira only had one miscue in the field.
• Both teams worked a pair of walks this afternoon.
• Johnson led the charge offensively with a 2-for-4 effort from the dish.
• Julianne Heggie and Chadbourne each had one hit apiece.
• Chadbourne recorded EC's lone RBI of the game.
• Carlin and Storch scored runs for Elmira.
• Carlin was the game two starting pitcher and allowed five earned runs in six full innings of work.

 
News and Notes

• Elmira concludes conference play with a 3-11 record.
• EC's 14 hits in game one are tied for second-most this season.
• The two triples hit in game one is the first time EC has done so since April 1st of this year against Houghton.
• Julianne's two homers marks the second time this season a Soaring Eagle have hit two in a single game (Carlin).
• The two home runs also place Heggie in a 12-way tie for the single-game program record.
• Heggie's home run total now stands at five, which is tied for fourth-most in single-season history.
• Keefe's triple is her first with the Soaring Eagles.
• Jacquelyn Heggie has reached base safely in nine straight games, which is tied for the season high.

 
Up Next
Elmira returns to the field on Monday, April 25th, when the Soaring Eagles welcome the Pennsylvania College of Technology to Eldridge Park Stadium for a pair of non-conference games. EC will also be honoring its three graduating members of the Class of 2016 at Monday's games, which are set to begin at 3:30 p.m.