Game One: Stevens Institute of Technology 5 – Elmira College 0
Game Two: Elmira College 4 - Stevens Institute of Technology 3
Records: Elmira (8-11, 2-10 E8), Stevens (23-15, 8-6 E8)
Location: Eldridge Park Stadium – Elmira, N.Y.
 
ELMIRA, N.Y. -- Elmira College softball split a pair of Empire 8 Conference contests this afternoon with the Ducks of Stevens Institute of Technology. Stevens shutout the Soaring Eagles in game one, 5-0, before the Elmira women rallied for a 4-3 victory in the nightcap. EC also honored its two graduating members of the Class of 2017 prior to the second game of today's doubleheader.
 
Five errors by the Elmira women in the opening game of this afternoon's twin bill proved to be the difference, as the Ducks scored five runs, three of which were unearned. A trio of fielding miscues in the third inning allowed Stevens to score once, before the Ducks tacked on three runs, two of which were earned, in the top of the fifth inning. Another error by EC in the seventh set the stage for Stevens to score its fifth and final run of the contests.
 
Elmira was held to three hits in game one. The biggest scoring threat from the Soaring Eagles came in the fifth inning, when Carolyn Corcoran '19 earned a one-out walk and Hannah Lundgren '18 followed up with single to right field, putting runners on first and second. However, the Ducks were able to turn a double play on the next at-bat, ending EC's scoring hopes.
 
The Soaring Eagle offense got off to a much quicker start in game two. After going 0-for-3 in game one, Maddy Johnson '19 led off the bottom of the first inning with an infield single, the first of three consecutive hits for the sophomore speedster. A sacrifice bunt by Chelsea Storch '17 placed Johnson on second, which allowed her to swipe third base on the next at bat. EC's Emily Carlin '17 stepped to the dish next and hit the ball deep in the hole at short stop, allowing Johnson to trot home for the first run of the game.
 
Elmira's starting pitcher, Katie McDougal '18, held the Ducks to just one hit and zero runs in the first three inning, keeping EC's lead intact heading into the bottom of the third. Olivia Harnois '19 led off the third with a single to left field, and following a pop out on the next at bat, Johnson reached safely on an infield bunt that advanced Harnois to second. Storch would work a six-pitch walk on the next at bat, loading the bases for Carlin with just one out.
 
Carlin delivered once again for Elmira in a clutch situation, as the Riverside, California, native hit a deep fly ball to center field. Harnois tagged up on the play and raced home, beating out a play at the play to give Elmira a two-run lead.
 
The Stevens offense settled in during the top of the fourth inning and produced three runs on four hits and one Elmira fielding error. On Stevens' third plate appearance of the inning, Olivia Gemma found the gap in left center and drove in two runs to tie the game. McDougal got the next two Ducks to fly and ground out, but Victoria Kapp came through with a two-out RBI single through the middle of the EC infield to score Gemma and put the Ducks out in front, 3-2. Carlin would eventually move from second base to the pitcher's circle for relief duty.
 
Clutch hitting continued to be a theme in game two, as the Purple and Gold worked a bit of two-out magic to reclaim their lead in the bottom of the fifth. Harnois began the inning with a leadoff single on a 3-2 count, and following a pop out on the next at bat, Johnson produced her third consecutive hit of the game on another bunt single. Storch stepped up to the dish next and laid down a well-placed bunt towards the right side of Stevens' infield, which set up a bang-bang play at first base in which the Elmira Heights, New York, native was called out on.
 
Although Storch would have preferred to have been on base, the senior did her part in setting up Carlin for another big at bat, as EC threatened with runners on second and third. A selective eye at the plate allowed the West Coast native to take a 2-0 lead in the pitch count. In desperate search of a strike, Stevens' Marissa Cappello fired one right down the heart of the plate, only to see Carlin drive the ball into center field and score both Harnois and Johnson to give the Soaring Eagles a 4-3 lead.
 
From there, Elmira's defense took center stage in the final two innings. Following a five-pitch strikeout to lead off the top of the sixth, Carlin walked the next batter on four pitches but was able to get the next two to ground out. Samanta Schattin opened the top of the seventh inning with a leadoff single and Farryl Groder reached safely on a fielding error by EC's Corcoran. However, the second-year second baseman stuck with the play and got the force out at second for the inning's first out. Carlin took things over from there, as the senior hurler got the next two Ducks to fly out to center field, clinching a 4-3 comeback win for the Soaring Eagles.
 
In Her Own Words…
Head Coach Rhonda Faunce shares her thoughts on Elmira's doubleheader split on senior day…
"Year after year, seniors play well on senior day. I don't know if they are just a little sharper, a little more motivated, but to have Carlin to get four RBIs and the game-winning RBIs didn't surprise me at all. I think her and Storch were just so focused in today. It was exciting to beat Stevens and I think the key was putting Carlin back in to finish pitching the second game."
 
Coach Faunce reflects on the move to put Carlin in to pitch the final three-plus innings…
"They started hitting Kate [McDougal] hard in the fourth inning, so that really was why we made that decision to make the switch and put Carlin in. We needed to show them something different, and even though they faced her in the first game, they didn't really hit her hard – we just made a lot of errors. So, again, it was a good decision, a timely one, and it worked for us today."
 
Coach Faunce shares her thoughts on Elmira's two graduating seniors, who were honored this afternoon…
"They are both special kids. You recruit kids who are competitive, do things the right way and who are positive and that's who both of these women are. They love to play softball and I couldn't ask for two better kids. They press when they need to press, and they are both real positive but can be stern when they need to be. All in all, they are both great students and great kids who love softball and we will certainly miss them."
 
Inside the Box Score (Game One)

• Stevens held an 8-to-3 advantage in hits.
• Elmira committed five errors, while Stevens had zero.
• Rachel Katzenberger '19 and Lundgren both went 1-for-2 at the plate.
• Carlin was 1-for-3 from the dish.
• Carlin also tossed 7.0 full innings in the pitcher's circle and allowed five runs, two of which were earned.

 
Inside the Box Score (Game Two)

• Stevens outhit Elmira by a slim 7-to-6 margin.
• EC committed two errors and Stevens was errorless for a second straight game.
• Johnson led EC at the plate with a perfect 3-for-3 showing with two runs scored.
• Harnois was a perfect 2-for-2 at the dish with two runs scored.
• Carlin was 1-for-2 with four RBIs.
• McDougal tossed 3.2 innings and logged one strikeout before being subbed out.
• Carlin pitched 3.1 scoreless innings and struck out a pair of batters en route to the win.

 
News and Notes

• Elmira picked up its second conference win of the season, both have taken place at home.
• The Soaring Eagles defeated Stevens for the first time since sweeping the season series in 2013.
• The win snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Ducks, who held a No. 22 national ranking earlier this season.
• Carlin's four RBIs in game two were a career high for the senior.
• Johnson logged her third three-hit game of the season.
• Harnois produced the first multi-hit and two-run game of her collegiate career.

 
Up Next
Elmira is back in action this Wednesday, April 26, when the Soaring Eagles host Houghton College in Empire 8 action. The opening pitch for game one is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. at Eldridge Park Stadium.