Score: Elmira College 5, Hilbert College 2
Records: Elmira (1-0), Hilbert (6-6)
Location: Eldridge Park Stadium -- Elmira, N.Y.

ELMIRA, N.Y. -- The Elmira College softball team outlasted the chilly temperatures and the Hawks of Hilbert College en route to a 5-2 victory in the 2018 season opener at Eldridge Park Stadium on Friday afternoon. Due to the cold, the second game of the doubleheader was canceled.

Both teams finished the non-conference contest with six hits, but sound defense and a pair of timely base knocks proved to be the difference. In the bottom of the third, the top two batters in the EC lineup – Maddy Johnson '19 and Rachel Katzenberger '19 – both reached base with two-out singles. Johnson then came around to score when the Hilbert second baseman was unable to cleanly field a grounder off the ball of Cassie Hill '20. Already up 1-0, the Soaring Eagles added to their lead thanks to a booming two-run double from Emily Clark '19.

Following the big hit from Clark, Johnson flashed the leather in center field with a highlight-reel play in the ensuing frame. With two out and a runner on third, Hilbert's Rachel Allen drove a fly ball into the gap in right center, but EC's Empire 8 All-Conference outfielder laid out to make a magnificent over-the-shoulder catch to end the top half of the fourth inning.

The following inning, however, the Hawks taxed Elmira pitcher Katie McDougal '18 with a pair of runs as the bitter cold began to settle in. A one-out double from Hannah Prenoveau trimmed the deficit to 3-1. Prenoveau then advanced to third on a single through the middle of the infield and scored when a pitch in the dirt reached the backstop. Hilbert proceeded to load the bases with just one out, but a heads-up play by the EC defense allowed the Purple and Gold to turn a double play on a deep fly ball, as the runner at third headed home without tagging up.

In the home half of the fifth, Hill smacked a single into center field that allowed Samantha Jenkins '20 and Johnson to score. Although the sophomore first baseman was tagged out trying to stretch the play into a double, the two RBIs provided some breathing run, extending the lead to three at 5-2.

McDougal tossed all 7.0 innings for Elmira. The fourth-year hurler worked around five walks and scattered six hits in the complete-game victory. After the shaky fifth inning, the Pawling, New York, native recovered nicely with her only two strikeouts of the game in the sixth. Johnson and Katzenberger paced EC with two hits apiece, while Clark and Hill both finished 1-for-3 with two RBIs. For Hilbert, Allen surrendered five runs (two earned) on six hits and struck out a game-high eight batters in a losing effort.

News and Notes

• Elmira improved to 1-0 after the season-opening win over Hilbert.
• The Soaring Eagles are 5-0 against Hilbert in season-opening games over the past 13 seasons.
• EC has earned at least one win on opening day in every season since 2006, while improving to 22-2 in the first day of competition in that span.
• Friday's win was the 12th of McDougal's career in the pitcher's circle.
• Hill logged the first multi-RBI game of her career vs. the Hawks.
• Clark drove in multiple runs for the 10th time as a Soaring Eagle.
• Freshman Bianca Palese '21 made her first start in the first game of her collegiate career.

Up Next
On Sunday, March 25, the Soaring Eagles will return to Eldridge Park Stadium for a non-conference doubleheader against Cazenovia College. The first game is scheduled for a 12:00 p.m. start.