HOUGHTON, N.Y. -- Elmira College softball split an Empire 8 Conference doubleheader with Houghton College under the lights at Houghton's softball stadium. The Highlanders (4-14, 3-7 E8) earned a 4-0 shutout win in the opener, but the Soaring Eagles (4-10, 3-5 E8) bounced back with a 5-3 victory in the nightcap.

Houghton 4, Elmira 0
Houghton held Elmira scoreless through seven innings to secure its fourth conference win of the season. Kayla Loomis allowed just three hits and three walks while striking out five batters en route to the shutout win.

Elmira's best scoring chance came in the top of the fourth inning when the Soaring Eagles loaded the bases with just one out. Trailing by three runs, EC had a golden opportunity to claw its way back into the contest. However, Loomis retired the side with a strikeout and a fly out to escape the jam.

Jillian Cortez '23 got the start in the pitcher's circle. She went 2.1 innings, allowing four hits, three walks, and three runs (two earned) with one strikeout. Ally Barr '21 made a relief appearance and went 3.2 innings with three strikeouts and one run allowed.

Elmira 5, Houghton 3
Elmira erased a two-run deficit and rallied for a crucial 5-3 conference victory over the Highlanders.

Houghton plated unearned runs in the first and second innings to take a 2-0 lead. EC cut the lead down to one in the top of the third inning, as Janie Kempf '21 scored from second base on a dropped fly ball. Kempf began the inning by working a walk and then stole second base to put herself in scoring position.

Grace Thompson launched a solo homer in the bottom half of the third to push the Highlander lead back to two runs, 3-1. However, this was the last time Houghton would hold the lead on Monday night.

In the top of the fourth inning, back-to-back singles from Cortez and Barr, followed by a sacrifice bunt from Paige Cring '21, put runners in scoring position with just one out. Hannah Flagg '24 plated Cortez from third with a sacrifice fly. With runners on second and third, Felicity Brockhuizen '22 laced a hot shot into center field that scored both Barr and Kempf to give Elmira a 4-3 advantage.

Defense played an important factor in the bottom half of the inning, as Elmira closed the door on the Highlanders by turning a double play to retire the side.

EC added an insurance run in the fifth inning as a hit-and-run plated Alexis Dinga '22 on a groundout from Barr.

EC's defense held the Highlanders in check in the fifth and sixth innings, but Houghton placed two runners on base with just one out in the bottom of the seventh. However, EC's starting pitcher, Barr, induced a ground out and sealed the win with a strikeout.

News and Notes

• Elmira and Houghton are even in the 2021 series at 2-2.
• The Soaring Eagles have earned a win in three of their four E8 doubleheaders to start conference play.
• Brockhuizen and Brown-Bloom each had a hit in both games.
• Brockhuizen finished the evening 3-for-6 with two RBIs.
• Cortez had a season-high three hits in the nightcap.
• In a complete-game effort, Barr collected a season-high six strikeouts.
• Between the two games combined, Barr struck out nine in 10.2 innings of work.

Up Next
The Soaring Eagles meet Russell Sage College in an E8 doubleheader on Saturday, April 24. The Gators will host EC at Memorial Field at Clifton Common in Clifton Park, New York, beginning at 3:30 p.m.