Game One: Pitt-Bradford 5, Elmira College 2
Game Two: Elmira College 10, Pitt-Bradford 2 (6 inn.)
Records: Elmira (1-3), Pitt-Bradford (10-8)
Location: Eldridge Park Stadium – Elmira, N.Y.
                    
ELMIRA, N.Y. -- In just the second doubleheader of the 2019 season, the Elmira College softball team split a non-conference twin bill with visiting University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. The Panthers of Pitt-Bradford claimed the opening game, 5-2, before the Soaring Eagles ran away with a 10-2 victory in the nightcap.
 
Game One
Errors proved costly in the opening game of today's doubleheader, as the Panthers capitalized on four EC miscues to clinch a three-run win. Of the five runs scored, only one was earned.
 
Liz Dzurisin gave the Panthers a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning by lacing a two-out double to center field, a hit that scored Mackenzie Bonyak from second base. Pitt-Bradford tacked on three additional runs in the top of the sixth inning, as a pair of fielding errors set up a big inning for the visitors.
 
In the top of the seventh inning, Sophia Fratercangelo found the gap in right center to score Maddy Hillery from second. However, EC's Mckenzie Slaven '20 was able to get out of the inning without surrendering any additional runs, as she got the next three batters to pop, ground and then pop out again to close out the side.
 
Elmira was able to claw its way back into the game in the bottom of the seventh, starting with a one-out double by Sam Chadbourne '19. With Chadbourne on second, Felicity Brockhuizen '22 skied one to left field, but the Pitt-Bradford outfielder misplayed the ball and dropped it. On the drop, Chadbourne was able to score and a hustling Brockhuizen advanced to third.
 
Alexis Dinga '22 grounded out to the shortstop on the next at-bat, but her hit was deep enough in the hole that Brockhuizen was able to score and trim the Panther lead to 5-2. Unfortunately this was as close as EC was able to get, as Pitt-Bradford escaped with a three-run victory.
 
Game Two
It looked as though game two would have a similar start as the opening content, as Pitt-Bradford's Madison East drove in the game-opening run with runners on second and third. With a 1-0 lead, East stole second, but Elmira's Ally Barr '21 got out of the jam by getting the next two batters to pop up and strike out.
 
Elmira responded in a big way in the bottom half of the second inning by putting a six-spot on the scoreboard to take a 6-1 lead. Rachel Katzenberger '19 began the rally by drawing a lead-off walk, which was followed by a Chadbourne single down the right-field line, putting runners on the corners.
 
Brockhuizen delivered on the next at-bat with a single up the middle, scoring Katzenberger from third to tie the game at 1-1.
 
Barr drew a walk on the next at-bat, which loaded the bases. Carolyn Corcoran '19 was then able to reach safely on a fielder's choice, as all three runners advanced, including Chadbourne who scored to make it a 2-1 EC lead.
 
Maddy Johnson '19 grounded out on the next at-bat, but Pitt-Bradford was unable to throw out the lead runner, as Brockhuizen scored to increase the Elmira lead to 3-1.
 
The Elmira rally continued with a Bianca Palese '21 single to centerfield, one that scored both Corcoran and Barr, which put the Soaring Eagles ahead, 5-1. Palese eventually reached third on a wild pitch and a single by Slaven, setting up a double-steal that saw Palese swipe home and score, putting the Elmira women ahead, 6-1.
 
Pitt-Bradford was able to get one run back in the top of the fourth inning, but the Purple and Gold forged ahead with a dominant four-run effort in the sixth inning to mercy the Panthers, 10-2.
 
A pair of errors by the Panthers set up Elmira's big inning, as did some aggressive base-running with the bases loaded. A one-out error allowed pinch-hitter Olivia Harnois '19 to score from third, before a pair of fielder's choices permitted Paige Cring '21 and Amber Wallach '19 to score.
 
With the bases still loaded, the Soaring Eagles needed just one run to mercy the Panthers, which is exactly what they did thanks to an RBI single from Brockhuizen that scored Kassi Hastings '21. The run clinched an eight-run win.
 
Barr was the pitcher of record in game two, as she earned the win behind six strong innings in the circle. The local product of Pine City, New York, allowed two runs and struck out two batters en route to her first win of the season.
 
In Her Own Words…
Head Coach Rhonda Faunce talks about today's doubleheader…
"It all started [rebounding in game two] with a change of pitcher. Once we got a little confidence, we were able to hit almost anything. We are super happy to have her [Barr], she has been pitching well since we started and just waiting for her opportunity to pitch in a game. All and all, she only threw a couple of bad pitches."
 
News and Notes

• Elmira earned its first win of the 2019 campaign.
• Chadbourne went 3-for-7 at the plate with two runs scored and one RBI.
• Two of Chadbourne's hits went for extra bases, both of which were doubles.
• Palese and Brockhuizen led EC with two RBIs apiece.
• Brockhuizen was 2-for-7 at the plate with a pair of runs scored.
• Johnson, Corcoran, Savannah Terry '21, Hastings and Dinga all produced one RBI.
• Terry, Dinga and Hastings all recorded their first career RBI.
• Slaven pitched 7.0 innings in game one and struck out a trio of batters.
• Barr picked up the win in game two behind 6.0 innings of two-run ball.
• Barr earned her first win of the season and first as a Soaring Eagle.
• Cring, Wallach, Palese, Katzenberger, Corcoran, Barr, Hastings and Harnois all scored one run apiece.

 
Up Next
The Soaring Eagles are back in action tomorrow afternoon, when they host the Mustangs of Morrisville State in a non-conference doubleheader starting at 3:00 p.m. inside Eldridge Park Stadium.