ELMIRA, N.Y. -- On a sunny, yet extremely windy, Tuesday afternoon, the Elmira College softball team split a non-conference doubleheader with Houghton College at Eldridge Park Stadium. The Soaring Eagles (1-5) earned an 8-6 victory in game one, before the Highlanders (1-7) rallied late in game two for a 6-1 win.
 
Elmira 8, Houghton 6
After three scoreless innings, Houghton plated a pair of runs in the top of the fourth to take a 2-0 lead. Elise Swanson and Kristin Keller produced RBIs for the Highlanders.
 
Elmira answered in the bottom half of the inning thanks to an RBI triple by Felicity Brockhuizen '22 and a sacrifice fly from Madison Brown-Bloom '23. Mykenzie Malacusky '23, who entered as a pinch runner, scored from first base on Brockhuizen's triple, while Brown-Bloom's sac-fly plated Brockhuizen.
 
The Highlanders reclaimed a two-run lead in the top of the fifth inning thanks to a throwing error by Elmira and sacrifice fly from Grace Thompson. Then, in the bottom half of the inning, Alexis Dinga '22 drove in Paige Cring '22 to cut Houghton's lead down to 4-3.
 
Elmira retired the Highlanders in order in the top of the sixth inning behind strong pitching from Ally Barr '21. Barr struck out the first batter she faced, before getting the next two batters to ground out. EC's defensive effort in the top of the sixth set the stage for a five-run inning in the bottom half.
 
Alex Brockhuizen '22 started the rally with a leadoff single, before her sister Felicity followed it up with a single. Both Brockhuizen's advanced an extra base on an error.
 
With runners in scoring position, Brown-Bloom tripled and gave Elmira its first lead of the contest, 5-4.
 
The next batter, Barr, was hit by a pinch and Katy Decker '23 entered as a pinch runner for her. Decker proceeded to steal second.
 
Following a pop up, Katie Distefano '24 laced a one-out triple into right field that scored Brown-Bloom and Decker. Distefano eventually scored later in the inning on a two-out double by Dinga, which put the Purple and Gold on top, 8-4.
 
Houghton was able to score twice in the top of the seventh inning, but Elmira eventually closed the door on the Highlanders' rally to secure its first win of the year, 8-6.
 
Offensively, Brown-Bloom led the charge with a 2-for-2 showing at the plate. She logged a team-high three RBIs and scored one run.
 
Distefano and Dinga drove in a pair of runs each. Distefano was 2-for-3 with a walk and one run scored, while Dinga went 1-for-4.
 
Felicity Brockhuizen was 2-for-3 with one RBI and two runs scored. Her sister Alex went 1-for-3 with one run scored.
 
In the pitcher's circle, Barr picked up the win by tossing a complete game. She allowed six run, but only two earned, on four hits and three walks. Barr also struck out two batters.
 
Houghton 6, Elmira 1
Game two was a defensive battle, as both pitchers were locked in from the opening pitch.
 
Elmira loaded the bases with no outs in the second inning, but scored just one run on a two-out walk, one drew by Janie Kempf '21. This was all the offense Elmira could muster, as Houghton escaped out of the jam with minimal damage.
 
Behind the pitching efforts of Jillian Cortez '23, Elmira maintained a 1-0 advantage until the sixth inning when Houghton scored one run with two outs.
 
EC placed two runners on base with two outs in the bottom of the sixth but was unable to score any runs. Then, the flood gates opened in the top of the seventh inning as Houghton scored five runs to take a 6-1 lead. Elmira's defense committed three errors in the inning, as all five runs were unearned.
 
Chances of a seventh-inning rally never materialized for Elmira, as Houghton retired the Soaring Eagles in order to collect its first win of the season.
 
Distefano, Cring and Dinga all went 1-for-4 at the plate, while Kempf drove in the only run on a walk.
 
In the pitcher's circle, Cortez went the distance and tossed a complete game. She allowed six runs, one earned, on six hits and eight walks. She also struck out two batters.
 
News and Notes

• Randie Torgalski earned his first win as the head coach of the Elmira women.
• Elmira secured its first win of the 2021 season.
• EC's win was its first since the 2019 season (no games in 2020 due to COVID-19).
• Elmira registered a trio of triples in game one.
• Barr picked up her first win of the season.
• Brown-Bloom's three RBIs were a career high.
• Distefano recorded the first multi-RBI game of her career.

Up Next
Elmira opens Empire 8 Conference action on Saturday, April 3, when the Soaring Eagles travel to face the Wolves of Keuka College. The doubleheader is slated to begin at 2:00 p.m. in Keuka Park, New York.