Game One: Utica College 5 – Elmira College 0
Game Two: Elmira College 6 – Utica College 5
Records: Elmira (5-8, 1-7 E8), Utica (10-14, 3-5 E8)
Location: Eldridge Park Stadium – Elmira, N.Y.
 
ELMIRA, N.Y. -- After being shutout in the opening game of today's Empire 8 Conference doubleheader against Utica College, the Elmira College softball team roared back in the nightcap with a 6-5 win to split this afternoon's twin bill with the Pioneers. The win in game two was Elmira's first conference victory of the 2017 season.
 
Five consecutive singles by the Pioneer batters in the first inning of game one gave the visitors a comfortable 3-0 lead to start today's series. Elmira loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom half of the inning but Utica's starting pitcher, Brittany Meka, would record one her six strikeouts on the next at-bat to neutralize the scoring threat.
 
Utica went on to score another two runs in the top of the fourth inning, and held Elmira to just two hits over the next six innings, to secure its third conference victory of the season, 5-0.
 
In game two, Utica worked a bit of two-out magic in the top of the third inning as Hayley Fredericks and Nicole Rice both drove in runs to give the Pioneers a 2-0 lead. The Utica lead was short-lived, as the Soaring Eagles answered with three runs in the bottom half of the inning.
 
Following a leadoff strikeout, a speedy Samantha Jenkins '20 beat out a throw at first with an infield single. With a runner on first and the Utica outfielders playing close to the infield, Elmira's Maddy Johnson '19 laced a shot to right center. Johnson's hit rolled all the way to the fence, which allowed Jenkins to trot home with ease, before the Rome, Pennsylvania, native raced around the diamond and beat out a play at the plate for an inside the park homerun.
 
On the next at-bat, Chelsea Storch '17 split the Utica infield with a hard hit ball up the middle, which was followed by a one-out double to left field by Emily Clark '19. With runners on second and third, Emily Carlin '17 stepped to the plate and pelted the ball down the left field line to score Storch from third, putting the Purple and Gold on top, 3-2.
 
Utica would eventually get out of the third inning without surrendering another run, but the Elmira bats remained hot in the bottom of the fourth inning, as the Soaring Eagles tacked on two additional runs. With one out, Allie Krohn '20 singled to center field and Jenkins followed suit with a single up the middle, putting runners on first and second for Johnson. The speedy second-year centerfielder would reach safely on a hit deep into the hole at shortstop, loading the bases for Storch.
 
With one out and the bases juiced, Storch hit a hard ground ball up the middle that was cut off by Utica's starting pitcher, Sabrina Stransky. Stransky would make the play at first, but not before Krohn scored to extend the EC lead to 4-2. Then on the next at-bat, a wild pitch by Stransky brought Johnson home to increase the Soaring Eagle lead to three, 5-2.
 
The Pioneers rallied in the next half inning and put a three-spot on the board, scoring thrice with one out. Utica would eventually load the bases with Stransky at the plate with just one out, but EC's starting pitcher, Katie McDougal '18, worked her way out of the jam with a 5-2-3 double play to keep it a 5-5 contest.
 
Utica opted to switch pitchers after tying the game at 5-5 and placed game-one starter, Meka, in the pitcher's circle for the remainder of the contest. Facing a 1-2 count, Carlin crowded the plate and was hit by the pitch and awarded first base. Olivia Harnois '19 entered into the game as a pinch-runner for Carlin, and eventually reached third following a single by Sarah Garner '20 and a sacrifice bunt by Hannah Lundgren '18. With Harnois on third and Garner on second, Krohn worked a five-pitch walk. However, instead of loading the bases, Elmira scored on the play, as a wild pitch from Meka allowed Johnson to touch home unscathed to reclaim a 6-5 Soaring Eagle advantage.
 
Utica and Elmira both went down in order, 1-2-3, in the sixth inning, creating a tense seventh inning for both squads. McDougal opened the top of the seventh with a strikeout and was able to get Fredericks to pop up on the next at-bat for two quick outs. However, Utica's Rice singled to center field on the next plate appearance and an error by the Elmira defense extended the inning. With runners on second and third with two outs, McDougal was able to get the next Pioneer batter to pop up on the first pitch she saw to close out game two with a 6-5 win.
 
In Her Own Words...
Head Coach Rhonda Faunce on Elmira's doubleheader split with Utica
"I was surprised we gave up three runs so early in the first game and we just never recovered from that. It's nice that you get to stop after the first game, and then play again, because it brought a whole different feel in the second game. They weren't catching up to Katie and we were hitting the ball much better."
 
Coach Faunce reflects on Johnson's play this evening…
"She's a talented player and her speed can really change the game in a positive way for us. Her speed just takes her to a whole other level. She has really good hand-eye coordination at the plate and she beats out a lot of infield ground balls."
 
Coach Faunce talks about EC's defensive efforts in game two…
"We made some changes in the defense for game two because we wanted as many quality bats in the lineup as possible. We moved Storch to shortstop and others filled in at spots as well, but I thought they did a good job with the defensive change. Katie did what she needed to do in the pitcher's circle. It was just nice to see them fight back and get the win."
 
Inside the Box Score (Game One)

• Elmira was limited to three hits, while Utica registered 10 base knocks.
• UC committed two errors and EC logged just one.
• Storch and Lundgren went 1-for-2 at the plate, while Carlin registered the other hit with a 1-for-3 showing.
• Storch also earned a walk.
• Carlin got the start in the pitcher's circle and tossed a full 7.0 innings with one strikeout.

 
Inside the Box Score (Game Two)

• Utica held a slim lead in hits, 10-to-9.
• Elmira committed two errors and Utica made one.
• Elmira scored all of its runs in the consecutive innings (3rd, 4th and 5th).
• Johnson led EC at the plate by going 2-for-4 with two RBIs on an inside the park home run.
• Storch was 1-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored.
• Carlin was 1-for-2 with an RBI.
• Garner went 1-for-3 from the dish.
• Krohn was 1-for-2 with a run scored and a walk.
• Jenkins was a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs scored.
• Harnois scored the game-winning run as a pinch-runner in the fifth inning.
• McDougal tossed 7.0 innings and logged three strikeouts en route to the win.

 
News and Notes

• Elmira earned its first Empire 8 win of the season.
• EC picked up its first win over Utica since 2014 and snapped a five-game skid to the Pioneers.
• Elmira produced its second-highest run total of the season in game two (6).
• The six runs are the most scored by Elmira since an 8-5 win over SUNY Canton on April 3.
• Johnson registered her first career home run for the Soaring Eagles.
• Johnson leads EC in batting average (.349), hits (15), runs (6) and is tied for the lead in homeruns (1).

 
Up Next
Elmira is back in action on Monday, April 17, when the Soaring Eagles travel to face Alfred State College. The non-conference doubleheader is scheduled to start at 3:00 p.m. in Alfred, New York.