Game One: Stevens Institute of Technology 3, Elmira College 1
Game Two: Stevens Institute of Technology 5, Elmira College 0
Records: Stevens (13-11, 5-1 E8), Elmira (7-9, 1-5 E8)
Location: Eldridge Park Stadium – Elmira, N.Y.
ELMIRA, N.Y. -- A strong pitching performance from both of Elmira College softball's local hurlers highlighted Saturday afternoon's Empire 8 Conference doubleheader, as the Soaring Eagles dropped a pair of league games at Eldridge Park Stadium to visiting Stevens Institute of Technology. The Ducks of Stevens edged Elmira, 3-1, in game one and prevailed by a 5-0 score in the nightcap.
Game One
A leadoff triple by Stevens set up the game-opening run, as Samantha Schattin crossed home plate on a two-out double by Katie Tirabassi to put the Ducks out in front, 1-0. Stevens tacked on two additional runs in the top of the sixth inning behind a pair of hits and errors.
Elmira threatened in the bottom half of the sixth inning, as
Rachel Katzenberger '19 and
Sarah Garner '20 reached safely to lead off the frame. Katzenberger singled to center field, while Garner was hit by a pitch. Both runners advanced a base on the next at-bat, as a pitch in the dirt placed them on third and second with no outs.
Senior
Sam Chadbourne '19 came through with a clutch RBI single on the ensuing at-bat, which cut the Stevens' lead to 3-1. Chadbourne's hard hit went deep into the hole at short, which allowed her to reach safely, but Garner was tagged out on the play after a two-throw rundown.
Stevens' starting pitcher, Christine LaRochelle, worked her way out of the inning by getting the next two EC batters to ground and foul-fly out.
In the seventh, Elmira's starting pitcher,
Mckenzie Slaven '19, saw a pair of Stevens players reach safely but the local product of Thomas A. Edison High School stranded both runners to send EC into the final frame down by just two runs. Unfortunately, the Elmira bats were unable to rally, as Stevens escaped with a two-run win.
Slaven tossed a fine game in the pitcher's circle for the Purple and Gold. She struck out five batters and allowed just one earned run in 7.0 innings of work.
Offensively,
Samantha Jenkins '20, Katzenberger, Chadbourne and
Carolyn Corcoran '19 each logged one hit apiece. Katzenberger scored EC's lone run of the game, while Chadbourne produced the team's lone RBI.
Game Two
Elmira's
Ally Barr '21 got the starting nod in the pitcher's circle from the coaching staff and produced another solid performance for the Purple and Gold. Although Stevens eventually marched away with a 5-0 win, Barr limited the damage by the Ducks.
Barr tossed 7.0 innings for the Soaring Eagles, her eighth complete game of the season, and finished with three strikeouts with just one walk. She allowed six hits and of the five runs scored on her, all of them were unearned.
Stevens produced a pair of runs in the top of the first inning, added another in the third, before plating two insurance runs in the top of the seventh to secure the league win.
For Elmira, Jenkins Garner and Corcoran finished with one hit each.
News and Notes
- Slaven and Barr both logged their eighth complete game of the season.
- Slaven is only seven strikeouts away from tying her total from the 2018 season.
- Despite the loss, Barr's ERA stands at an impressive 1.71.
- With two hits today, Jenkins improved her batting average to a team-leading .406 on the year.
- Corcoran is on a season-best four-game streak of reaching base safely.
Up Next
The Soaring Eagles return to action tomorrow afternoon when they travel to Troy, New York, to face The Sage Colleges. The first of two Empire 8 Conference games is slated for 1:00 p.m.
