Game One: Elmira College 6, Nazareth College 5
Game Two: Nazareth College 6, Elmira College 5
Records: Elmira (4-7, 2-6 E8), Nazareth (8-12, 1-5 E8)
Location: Eldridge Park Stadium – Elmira, N.Y.
 
ELMIRA, N.Y. -- A pair of late rallies by both teams came up just short in today's Empire 8 Conference doubleheader, as the Elmira College softball team split wins with visiting Nazareth College. The Soaring Eagles claimed a 6-5 win in the opening contest, while the Golden Flyers of Nazareth claimed the nightcap by an identical 6-5 score.
 
Leading the charge at the plate for Elmira was third-year talent Emily Clark '19, who went 4-for-6 (.667) with two RBIs, two runs scored and two extra-base hits. Of her extra-base hits, one was a double and the other was a solo home run. Carolyn Corcoran '19 and Rachel Katzenberger '19 also had solid performances at the dish, as both logged a trio of hits this afternoon. Corcoran was 3-for-6 (.500) with one RBI, while Katzenberger was 3-for-7 with two runs scored, an RBI triple and a stolen base.
 
Other multi-hit performers on the day were Sarah Garner '20 and McKenzie Slaven '20, who both registered a pair of base-knocks. Garner was 2-for-7 (.286) with one RBI and one run scored. Slaven went 2-for-8 (.250) at the dish with one run scored and a team-leading three RBIs. Slaven was also just as effective in the pitcher's circle today, as the Horseheads, New York, native tossed a full 7.0 innings in EC's one-run win in the opening game of this afternoonn's doubleheader. She allowed three earned runs, while striking out five batters and walking just one.
 
In game one, Cassie Hill '20 registered her only hit of the day in six at-bats, but the significance of her hit was crucial for the Soaring Eagles. With two outs, two runners on base and a full count, Hill laced a hot shot through the middle of the infield to score Slaven and Katzenberger from second and third base. The RBI single helped EC take its first lead of the game, 2-0.
 
Elmira added to its lead in the bottom of the fourth inning, as Clark launched a solo home run on the first pitch she saw. Clark's homer over the left-centerfield wall was her first of the season and gave EC a 3-0 advantage.
 
Nazareth trimmed the Elmira lead to one run, 3-2, in the top of the fifth inning on RBIs from Marissa Tortora and Stephanie Mongelli. The Golden Flyers threated again in the top of the sixth inning with runners on first and second, however, Slaven was able to retire the next two batters, one of which came by strikeout, to maintain EC's one-run lead.
 
Slaven's effort in the circle the top of the sixth was critical for EC, as the Soaring Eagles added pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning to pull ahead, 5-2. Garner led off the inning with a single and reached second on an error, setting the table for an RBI double by Clark two batters later. Then, following a throwing error by Nazareth, an RBI single by Corcoran through the left side of the infield concluded the two-run inning for the Purple and Gold.
 
Nazareth made things interesting in the top of the seventh inning with a three-run outburst that tied the score at 5-5. The Golden Flyers saw their first four batters reach safely, which included an RBI single by Mongelli, and ended the inning with a pair of RBI ground outs by Kristen Simmons and Katherine Ruoff.
 
Katzenberger led-off the bottom of the seventh inning for the Soaring Eagles and pieced together a strong plate appearance, which ultimately set the stage for EC to walk away with the win this afternoon. After falling behind in the count, 1-2, Katzenberger drew three straight balls to earn the walk. The next at-bat saw Slaven groundout to the shortstop, but by putting the ball in play, Katzenberger was able to advance to second. EC's next batter, Garner, took the first pitch she saw and drove it to deep left centerfield to score Katzenberger and clinch a 6-5 walk-off victory for the Elmira women.
 
In game two, Nazareth jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but an RBI triple by Katzenberger in the bottom half of the inning scored the speedy Maddy Johnson '19 from first base. EC was unable to capitalize on having a runner on third with no outs, as the Golden Flyers escaped the first inning with their one-run lead intact, 2-1.
 
Elmira eventually knotted the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the third inning on a one-out RBI groundout by Slaven. EC's Samantha Jenkins '20 reached safely on a fielding error to begin the inning, before stealing second and advancing to third on a single by Katzenberger, who would eventually steal second to put a pair of runners in scoring position. From there, Slaven hit a grounder deep in the hole at shortstop, which allowed Jenkins to race home for the game-tying run.
 
Nazareth responded in the fifth and sixth innings with two runs in each of the top halves of those frames. Ruoff logged a pair of RBIs, while Tortora and Mongelli were credited with one RBI apiece.
 
The four runs seemed to take the wind out of Elmira's sails, but the Soaring Eagles staged a ferocious comeback in the bottom of the seventh. Corcoran began the rally with a leadoff single, which was followed by Allie Krohn '20 reaching safely on an error. Head Coach Rhonda Faunce opted for speed on the base paths and brought in Olivia Harnois '19 to pinch run for Corcoran, which proved to be the right call, as Samantha Jenkins '20 singled through the heart of the Nazareth infield to score Harnois from second.
 
Johnson would then reach base safely on a fielder's choice, but Krohn was forced out at third on the play. Nazareth registered another out, before Slaven laced a double to left field to score Jenkins from third and Johnson from second, cutting the Golden Flyer lead to just one run, 6-5. However, this was a close as Elmira would get, as Naz's starting pitcher, Kylie Smith, got the next EC batter to fly out to secure a one-run win.
 
News and Notes

• Elmira improved to 2-5 against Empire 8 teams this season.
• EC also earned its third win at home this year (3-4).
• Slaven picked up her team-leading third win of the season and registered her second-highest single-game strikeout total (5).
• Slaven also recorded the first multi-RBI performance (3) of her collegiate career.
• Hill produced her second two-RBI performance of the season.
• Clark logged her first home run of the 2018 season and the fourth of her career.
• Garner produced her fifth multi-hit performance of the season.
• Elmira honored its lone senior of the Class of 2018, Katie McDougal '18, prior to game two of today's doubleheader.

 
Up Next
The Soaring Eagles have a quick turnaround, as they welcome the No. 15-ranked Cardinals of St. John Fisher College to Eldridge Park Stadium for a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader tomorrow afternoon.